Monsters and Mana and Mania
by EmberXMystery
Summary: Shiro forces Keith to come to his D&D group to try it out once but Keith is against the idea. Alternating PoVs with lots of focus on other characters. Not entirely about the ships. Light-hearted story about friends in college relaxing, living, and (accidentally) falling in love. With D&D thrown in. Klance, Shatt, and Hunay. College AU.Fluff and Angst. T b/c of mild Language
1. The Cult of Conniving Geeks

Hello and greetings to anyone reading this.

Let me say first, YES this has Shatt. Before you close the tab, I wrote this before Shiro was confirmed Gay with Adam. I wrote this chapter and I already have about five more chapters this length written. However, doing art and writing takes a while and I don't work linearly. So the other chapters happen later in the fic and won't be surfacing for a chapter or two.

Next, I want to say that they are all aged up as follows.

Keith: Almost 21 but still 20

Lance: 20

Hunk: 20

Pidge: 18

Shiro: 27

Matt: 26-27

Allura: 22

Coran: Late forties early fifties.

Third: This is a lighthearted fun fic, but it does deal with serious issues. This chapter is pretty fluffy/funny besides a couple slight internalized homophobia thoughts Matt has, but they are towards himself and Pidge helps him. However, there are later chapters that get pretty dark and if you've read any of my other work then... yeah. You know I do both fluff and angst.

A lot of stuff is similar to canon. Aka: Alfor died. Krolia is Keith's mom. Etc. But things have been changed for this AU. Also, Adam will not be appearing because I didn't know he existed and I've already written a pretty funny Shatt chapter. Either way, it isn't that long and the characters are pretty cute.

Finally, and then you can start reading :) : I do not play D&D but my friends do and I help them often and they helped me write this fic. So I'm hoping I got everything right but please comment if something is off. I also do not Fence but it seemed like something Keith would do. Same thing as the D&D, if you fence and I got something wrong, please leave a nice comment and I'll fix it.

This is T 100% for language and some trigger warnings later (But I'll warn you guys if you stick with me). There will be no sex or smut or anything like that. At most, some allusions to dirtier thoughts.

Also... there was art for this but I can't get it to work in here. If you want to see, go to Archive Of Our Own.

(Though if someone knows how to add art or links or something a review with an explanation would be very appreciated.)

Enjoy!

* * *

Keith~

"Why am I even here?" Keith deadpanned as Shiro dragged his arm while they marched through the school hallway.

"It will be good for you to socialize," Shiro told him as he had a million times before.

"I don't want to join your geek group, though," Keith said. He knew he was being childish but he really didn't want to meet the eccentric people that Shiro always hung around. He had watched the ends of some of Shiro's games and it seemed… weird.

"One time," Shiro promised as they stopped in front of the door that led to Keith's doom.

"Shiro…" Keith tried one more time, "We are in _college_."

"And you look up conspiracies all day," Shiro said making that 'You know I have a point here' face.

"At least _I_ know they're real."

"No," Shiro shook his head. "They are really not."

"Mothman will hear about this," Keith whispered under his breath.

Shiro sighed and opened the door to lead Keith into the way too dark room. Keith blinked his eyes, waiting for them to adjust to the dimness only to have a cloth bag thrown over his head. "HEY!" he cried indignantly as he was shoved towards… something. Through the bag he could see small spots of orangish light but he couldn't see anything else.

"Do you, Keith Kogane, swear to join our valiant quest in order to secure the grand crystal Zelphor from the witch Ytrmir before she can use it to wipe out the elves? Do you swear to always—"

"At least for today," Keith heard Shiro's voice interject.

"Yes," the other voice continued. Keith was 85% sure it was Matt trying (and failing) to talk in a deep, gravelly, ominous voice. "To always, for today, protect your fellow comrades, even at the expense of your own life? Do you swear to abide by the rules of Dungeons and Dragons and to work with your fellowship to complete our quest and to not sabotage us?"

"Can you take this bag off of my head?" Keith asked.

The bag was removed swiftly and Keith's eyes adjusted to see Matt wearing a hooded robe while holding a book, illuminated by candles casting a dim light behind him. "Very dramatic," Keith commented. He had met with Matt quite a few times when he and Shiro hung out together. From what Keith knew, they were both geeky and weird and had been friends for a while.

"Answer the affirmation to the swears, dumbass," Pidge, always the sarcastic one, commented. They were also wearing a hooded robe and holding a large candle.

"Fine, sure, yes. I agree," Keith sighed just wishing that he could get through the next… what was it… four hours? Ugh.

"Come on," Hunk said (also robed and holding a candle). "Put some more enthusiasm into it!" Keith had only met the big guy a handful of times but as far as he could tell Hunk was good natured and sweet and was one of those people who was warm and welcoming most of the time.

"Whoo," Keith said in the most monotone voice he could manage.

"Ah, that's good enough," Shiro said, resting a hand on his shoulder. "He finally agreed to come so that's good enough."

"Yeah, after you made a deal with him and it was either this or blackmail photos," Lance said with a smirk. "Personally, I was hoping for the second one." Keith huffed and rolled his eyes. He had only seen Lance a couple of times, like Hunk. From what he knew, Lance was egotistical, talkative, and arrogant. Oh, and annoying. Very annoying. He was wearing his robe with the hood down, probably so his 'elegantly styled', short, mousy hair stayed perfect. His eyes, normally the color of a field of bluebonnets, shone like fire against a twilight sky because of his candle.

"We'll see how he does," Allura said skeptically. Keith was always, always surprised that Allura was apart of the D&D group but she seemed pretty loyal to them despite being popular and well-known around campus. From what Keith knew, she was stubborn but usually pretty kind and a good student.

"I love fresh new victims!" Coran said marching over to Keith and Shiro. "Let's get started."

Keith remembered that Coran was the sponsor for their group. He was always a little odd but most students enjoyed him as a history teacher because of his eccentricities. Coran was always most notable for his 'gorgeous' mustache that he took so much pride in. Keith could very easily imagine him being good at creating the mythical worlds in D&D.

"What music am I putting on?" Pidge shouted from across the room.

"Celtic music!" Hunk shouted in response.

Everyone started to sit around a circular table that was decorated with papers, figurines, and dice. Keith immediately took a seat next to Shiro hoping that he would help him if— no, _when_ he was clueless. Matt was sitting next to Shiro, then came Coran, Allura, Pidge, Hunk, and finally Lance. Who was sitting next to Keith. Great.

"So… what the hell am I doing?" Keith asked Shiro.

"Okay, so first you need to make your character," Shiro said.

"I think you should be a druid," Pidge suggested.

"What's… that?" Keith asked.

"You get to be a magicky person who reigns ultimate control over the environment," Pidge told him.

"Um. Okay. That does sound kind of cool."

"You need to have a race too," Matt told him.

"I think you should be an Elf," Lance suggested slyly. "You know, with the pointy ears?"

"Well," Keith said, "I don't want to do anything Lance suggests."

"Then be the opposite," Allura said. "Be a dwarf."

Keith sighed, "Alright. I'll be a drew…"

"Druid," Pidge supplied.

"A druid dwarf."

"Sounds good," Shiro said. "Now we have to roll for your stats."

It took what felt like forever but finally Keith had rolled for all of his stats and was ready to start.

"Fantastic!" Coran said. "Now I just have to find a way to incorporate you into the story. Right now the group is going through the fortress looking for a special key that will get them into the crypt they are trying to get to."

"Coran!" Lance shorted, "I know how to incorporate him."

Lance stood and walked over to Coran and whispered into his ear. Keith watched as a mischievous light entered Coran's eyes. "That sounds wonderful!" he said.

Lance sat back down and gave Keith a lopsided grin as they began to continue in their game.

Keith watched and listened with apprehension as the team traveled through the fortress, bantering and joking with each other the whole way. He learned that Pidge, being a barbarian, was their muscle. Hunk, as a cleric, healed the group. Allura was their archer, attacking from far away. Shiro was more of the leader and would plan strategies and then would fight with mostly melee attacks. Lance, for some reason, was a bard though he kept trying to sneak through the area and save people with flashy poisons, though they usually failed. Matt was the one who was the real thief. He continually would pick locks and stab enemies in the back. He was also pretty good at saving the rest of the team, especially Shiro.

Keith kept waiting to be put into the game but it never happened. He wasn't exactly complaining, though. Finally, the group had reached the end of the fortress and retrieved the diamond key to be able to get into the crypt when Coran said, "There is one remaining door that is locked with a master lock, but you can hear faint rusting sounds from beyond the door."

"We need to pick the lock," Lance said.

"But it's a master lock," Pidge said, "You'd have to get a crazy high roll to be able to unlock that."

"I can do it," Matt said. "I'm feeling lucky."

"There's probably a monster beyond that door though," Shiro said.

"No, guys," Lance said, winking at Coran and Keith, "You want to open _this_ door."

"I'm rolling for it," Matt declared.

A moment later Matt called, "Yes! I got it. The door's opened!"

"And now, may I present…" Lance said gesturing to Coran.

"You open the door to find a mostly empty room with a couple of empty dressers and a bed. Upon first appearance you think it is empty but then you notice a rustling behind the bed."

"Behind the bed!" Lance shouted with a laugh.

"You walk behind the bed and see someone there."

"I think I know what's happening," Pidge said slyly.

"Behind the bed you see a fair maiden who is short, probably a dwarf, but she has long hair that is cut shorter in the front to form a mullet. She is wearing a pink and red dress with a black lace shawl and she is glaring up at the group."

"My, what a fair princess!" Lance said in a mock accent.

"It isn't until she speaks," Coran continued, "That you hear… a deeper voice. Everyone takes a closer look and realizes that the dwarf princess is actually… KEITH!"

There was an uproar at the table. Keith could do nothing but stare and blink in silence, too stunned for words. Pidge, Lance, Coran, and Matt were gauffawing with laughter. Hunk was wiping his eyes like he was crying. Allura was snickering into her hand, and Shiro looked like he was about ready to burst into laughter but was trying to hold it in for Keith.

"Brilliant," Lance was saying. "Absolutely brilliant." He stared directly at Keith as he held out his hand, "My fair lady, may I help you get to your feet?"

"Not on your life," Keith said crossing his arms over his chest.

"But Milady, your beauty can't be ruined by—"

"By what?" Keith countered, "Standing myself?"

Lance pretended to bow low, "I will always be by your side milady. I vouch to protect you forever and to always provide assistance when you need it."

"Wonderful!" Keith told him. "Now I have a slave to wait on me hand and foot!"

"That's… not—" Lance tried.

"Nope," Keith said. "You said you would provide assistance whenever I needed it. That means that you have vouched to be my slave."

Lance had turned ghost white and the look of stupid shock on his face startled Keith into laughter.

"Okay okay," Coran said, quieting everyone, "So Keith, the dwarven princess stands up and you find that he is holding a knife towards everyone."

"I'm going to use persuasion," Lance said. "I'm going to woo her."

"Do _not_ 'woo' me," Keith muttered.

"Too late!" Lance said, "Coran, I got a 16 roll!"

"Great! You want to take the dialogue for this one Lance?" Coran asked.

"It would be my pleasure," Lance said with a cocky grin on his face. He turned to Keith. "My fair lady Keith, it would be my absolute pleasure if you would accompany us on our valiant quest. I promise that I will protect thee, milady, and that thy beauty shall remain as stunning as the sun shining through the clouds with its magnificent rays of light."

Keith was ready to barf. How could he be _so_ cheesy? And why did it kind of make Keith's stomach twist. The way Lance's very blue eyes shone in the overhead and candle light and the way he smiled slyly like he had a secret that only Keith knew made Keith want to… punch him.

Keith turned towards Coran, "May I choose to stab him in the gut?"

"No," Coran said. "He rolled high enough that his wooing works on you and you join the team."

"Dear lord. Do I have to?" Keith asked. "Couldn't I… hide in a pit or something?"

"Nope," Matt said. "You said you would protect your team."

"You swore to," Shiro added.

"Yep, you have to join us," Allura said.

"Ugh." Keith grumbled. "Fine. I'll join."

"You could say it with more dramatics," Pidge told him.

"No thank you," Keith replied, already ready for the remaining two and a half hours to be over.

"Pidge is right," Shiro told Keith. "You should try having more fun with this."

Keith had rolled his eyes and scoffed at the idea but as the hours passed, he found himself having more fun. Not that he would admit that.

But, when they had first entered the crypt and Coran had started to get low to the table, using a flashlight to cast dramatic lighting over his face as he used a deep voice to describe the crypt, everyone had started laughing.

During one of their fights, Keith had looked at his skill sets and he had found a spell of sorts to grow vines and incapacitate his victim. That sounded cool so he did it but the way Coran described the vines made them sound like thin flower-covered stems instead of the hulking mass of thorny plant Keith had been imagining.

Lance had started to call him flower-princess Keith for the next while. Keith had retorted that he could sing his victims to sleep with a lullaby as his strongest attack.

Thankfully, Lance had shut up for a few minutes after that.

They kept plunging deeper into the crypt and Keith found himself more and more lost in the story and having more fun. Shiro was able to stop explaining everything to him every two seconds once Keith started to get a hang of the game.

He learned that Pidge liked to mess with the whole group. Matt tended to work closely with Shiro whenever he could. Lance was obnoxious but he was the best in towns because of his persuasion and sometimes he could get past guards pretty well. Shiro tended to lead the group and Allura was their backup fire. Hunk was their healer and now Keith could be their offensive magic.

"We need to get more information," Shiro said as they entered the town Arus. "We should head to the local tavern."

At the end of the crypt, they had gotten an Emerald Key that looked like the diamond one that lead to the crypt and Shiro wanted to ask around about it.

"Yeah, we could share a couple of drinks together," Matt said from the side.

"Well, we should really work on getting information about where we can take this key to," Shiro said.

"But after that…" Matt said.

Shiro smiled, "Maybe."

Keith didn't understand why Matt wanted to get fantasy drinks but if the team had to act drunk then he could get on board with that. It would be funny. Besides, who doesn't like to get drunk in a fantasy game?

"You walk into the nearest tavern and see no one of any interest," Coran told them. "There are a couple of rough swords for hire along the edge and a stray cat running around some of the tables, but otherwise the tavern is empty except for the man behind the counter."

"Can I pet the cat?" Lance asked.

"No…" Coran replied. "It's a cat. You have no need to—"

"But I want to."

"Let him pet the cat," Hunk chimed in. "Otherwise he'll be lamenting that he wasn't able to pet the cat for the rest of the game."

"It is literally just a stray cat," Keith commented. "It could have diseases or something."

Lance huffed at him. "But it's a cat!" He rolled and then declared that he was walking over and petting the cat. "And now the cat is my friend."

"The cat is not your friend," Coran said.

"But the cat _is_ my friend. His name is Kaltenecker and he is my friend," Lance said defiantly.

"The cat's name is now Kaltenecker," Pidge cemented. "Awesome."

"There is no point in you befriending a cat," Keith told Lance.

"Kaltenecker is not just any cat. Kaltenecker is my friend. Kaltenecker will save our lives one day."

"Alright," Keith said, rolling his eyes. "Whatever you say."

"Can we go talk to the man behind the counter now?" Shiro asked.

"I think maybe we should check out those swords-for-hire," Allura suggested. "They could be assasins or bounty hunters, and could possibly assist us in our quest."

"Or they could just be swords-for-hire," Coran said. "I'm with Shiro. Let's go talk to the man behind the counter."

"Can I buy two drinks first?" Matt asked.

"Why only two?" Pidge asked, smirking.

"Because I don't have enough money for everyone on the team and I wanted to make Shiro act drunk."

"That's fair," Keith said. "I want to see Shiro acting drunk as well." He knew that his brother had literally zero tolerance for alcohol. Keith swore that the smell of it got him drunk. Matt, on the other hand, was better at holding his own against the stuff.

Plus, Shiro had told him that they had made the alcohol in their game very potent so one drink could do a lot.

"Please don't," Shiro said.

"Guys," Lance said, reaching into his bag. "I have two glasses of water in here." He gave one to Matt and one to Shiro. "Drink up!"

Matt smiled at Shiro and Shiro glared at everyone. "I'm not acting drunk."

"Please!" Pidge asked. "It's really funny! At least be tipsy!"

"Could you at least see how fast you can chug the water?" Lance asked.

"I'm not getting out of this one am I?" Shiro sighed.

"Nope," Matt grabbed his own drink and held it out to Shiro. "Cheers!" They clinked their glasses together and Matt shouted "Bottoms up!" before beginning to chug his water.

"I would be so against this if that was anything other than water," Hunk said.

"Shiro would too," Keith agreed as he watched his brother take large gulps of water.

They finished at almost the exact same second and slammed their glasses down on the table with a thump. Shiro set his down slightly before Matt, but Keith could've sworn that Matt had finished drinking before Shiro. They both started coughing and pounding their chests to get the liquid down properly.

"That was great," Lance laughed as he grabbed the glasses back.

"Matt, make Shiro do stuff like that all of the time," Allura requested.

"Yes please," Pidge agreed as they stuffed their phone back into their bag. "I need more blackmail videos."

"Can we _now_ go and talk to the man at the counter," Shiro asked a little out of breath. His voice still had a light tone though, so Keith knew he was having fun.

Everyone agreed and they sat at the counter.

"A stunningly handsome man with long orange hair and a brilliant mustache answered you at the counter. He had well defined—"

"Coran!" Pidge yelled, "We don't CARE. Get on with the story."

They didn't sound as annoyed as they did amused.

"Fine," Coran huffed. "The gorgeous man asks you, 'What can I do you folks for today?"'

"Lance," Shiro said, "Do you want to take this one?"

"It would be my pleasure!" he said with a swooping bow. Keith still couldn't understand why he was so theatrical about the game.

"So, Mr. Bartender," Lance said as he leaned on the table, looked at Coran, and played with his dice with one of his fingers. "We were wondering where we could get… information about where a special key might lead us."

Coran leaned forward on the table, glancing around suspiciously. "What kind of… information are you looking for?"

"We acquired a key that we want to know where it leads to."

"It'll cost you for that kind of information," Coran said, raising an eyebrow.

Lance calmly picked up the dice, tossed them in the air and then let them fall onto the table. From Keith's point of view, it didn't look like Lance even glance at his roll but he must have.

"I think you and I both know that it is best if you tell me this information."

Coran glared at Lance as though he were a real tavern-keeper about to be robbed of a good piece of information.

"Three hundred silver pieces," Coran said at last.

"How about I give you this instead?" Lance suggested cooly as he pretended to pull the miniscule object he had in his inventory from his pocket and place it on the table. He showed the group that it was a moonstone gem.

"Alright," Coran submitted, snatching the pretend gem off of the table. "Let me see this key."

Lance glanced behind him as though he were looking at those swords-for-hire that were behind him in the tavern. Then he pulled his cloak a little to open a pouch and pull out an emerald key. "Where might this lead us to?"

Coran held out his hand.

"No, you cannot hold it," Lance told him defiantly.

"Fine," Coran said. "That particular little key leads you to the Emerald Catacombs in the Kral Zera section of the world."

"Mark it on our map," Lance demanded with a tone that implies suggesting the idea.

"Fine," Coran mumbled again.

"And don't even _try_ to think about any funny business," Matt growled as he pretended to show the swords and daggers strapped to his belt.

Coran widened his eyes in pretend fear and then handed the map to Lance. "Here you go. The place is marked to as close as I remember the location being."

Lance grinned at him and gave a quick two finger salute, "Thank you. It was a pleasure doing business with ya." He turned towards Shiro. "Dad, are you proud of me?"

Shiro rolled his eyes as he inhaled deeply through his nose. "That moonstone was worth 50 gold pieces but... sure."

"Son?" Pidge asked in offering to get Shiro to play along.

He glared at them. "Fine," he muttered. "Yes, son. I am proud of you."

Lance beamed. "Aw, thanks Dad! That's all I ever wanted!"

"As adorable as this Father-son bonding is," Allura snickered, "It is six o'clock. We should probably wrap it up."

"No, wait," Coran said. "You didn't let me say my line!"

Allura sighed. "Pretend I said nothing. Go ahead Coran."

Coran smiled, "And scene. Well, I think that's enough for today. Everyone is doing great so far. Keith my boy, how are you feeling. Are you liking D&D? Yay or nay? You think you have what it takes to come back and continue?"

Keith didn't know if he wanted to return. He hadn't thought he would. He had figured that he would hate it but it was actually a lot of fun. Still… he didn't know that he wanted to commit to anything. At least not yet. "Eh, I'll think about it. It wasn't too bad. The only part that I have to complain about is Lance."

Lance grinned, wrapping his arm around Keith's shoulder. "Oh, you just don't like that I am so spectacularly amazing."

Keith snorted, "Yeah. Amazingly annoying."

"Alright," Pidge said. "I'm going to leave before this gets into a full blown argument. Matt you want to give Shiro a hug and then go?"

Matt rolled his eyes and turned away from the group, walking towards the door without looking at Shiro. "Yeah, let's go Pidge." Keith wasn't sure that Shiro had noticed.

"I'm going to head out too," Allura said.

"Lance?" Hunk asked.

"Yeah, okay," Lance said. "Let's go."

Everyone said their goodbyes and headed their separate ways home.

On the way back, Shiro kept trying to talk to talk to Keith and ask him if he was interested in joining or talk to him about what he enjoyed. Keith either shut him down or answered with short and abrupt responses. As soon as they got home, Keith headed off to go do homework and study, but would likely procrastinate on both.

~~~...

Shiro~

"Come on, Shiro!" Pidge was saying, "You have to talk to him."

"Yeah," Matt agreed. "Keith was a lot of fun to play with. I mean so are you… and everyone else. Keith would just be fun to add to the group dynamic."

Shiro's friends/ D&D group at lunch had been trying to convince him to convince Keith to come back to D&D. They all wanted him to join, Shiro just wasn't sure that pushing Keith would help any.

"You know he wants to see more of my awesome bard skills," Lance joked.

"I really, really doubt that…" Hunk said.

"I don't want to force him into playing," Shiro said, "If he doesn't want to."

"I think he wants to, though," Allura commented around the straw of her coffee cup.

"Fine," Shiro said. "I suppose that I could talk to him just after his fencing practice this afternoon."

Lance choked on the water he was drinking. "Fencing?"

Shiro sighed. "Yes, as Keith put it, he gets to stab things."

"Mullet fences," Lance whispered dreamily.

"That is amazing," Pidge added.

"Is he any good?" Matt asked Shiro, his eyes staring into Shiro's intently. Shiro could never really look away from Matt. His eyes just had so much wonder and curiosity in them.

"Yeah," Shiro shrugged. "When he wants to be. He gets pretty aggressive and ignores defense so sometimes it works really well and sometimes it fails him."

"What's his rating?" Hunk asked.

"National level," Shiro replied.

"Niiice," Pidge commented.

"Can we all just show up to one of his matches?" Lance asked. "And… not tell him And just shout really loudly?"

"Please yes," Pidge smirked, nodding at Lance.

"No guarantees on that one," Shiro replied, "But I will talk to him today."

~~~...

Shiro wandered out to where Keith practiced his fencing and waited by the side fence until Keith noticed him. Under the netted masks and all-white uniforms, Shiro couldn't tell which one of the group was Keith.

Finally, he noticed Keith after watching a match between a tiny fencer who was quick and defensive and a fighter who was definitely aggressive and fast enough to be Keith. When the match was over, Shiro shouted to get Keith's attention. Keith turned and then walked over towards Shiro, taking his helmet off in the process. He shook his hair to get it to puff back out to its normal clumps and tangles.

"Hey, Shiro." Keith leaned his back against the fence and took a drink of the water bottle Shiro held out to him. "What do you want?"

"I am your brother," Shiro ventured. "Can't I just show up because I want to see how you're doing?"

"What do you want, Shiro?" Keith inquired again, not even bothering to look at him.

Shiro sighed inwardly. He wondered how this conversation was going to go. To him, it had seemed like Keith had had fun at the D&D meeting but… Keith was also stubborn and obnoxious when he was conned into doing something, even if he liked that something.

"I wanted to know how you liked Yesterday." Shiro questioned tentatively.

Keith shrugged nonchalantly. "I've done worse things with an afternoon."

"Fair enough," Shiro said, falling quiet.

He remained standing next to Keith without saying a word while Keith continued to drink water.

Finally, Shiro decided he couldn't take it. He was horrible at subtleties so he would just come outright and say it. "Keith," he said earnestly.

"Yeah?" Keith asked.

"My friends and I really enjoyed having you be apart of our D&D group. We would really like it if you would come back and join." There. He had laid everything out. Now he just needed to see how Keith would respond.

"Shiro… I just don't know." Keith traced the hard netting of his mask, avoiding Shiro's eyes.

"Did you have fun yesterday?" Shiro asked, leaning against the fence, towards Keith with his hands clasped.

"Sure, yeah, I guess?" Keith said doubtfully.

"Then why don't you join us and play?" Shiro suggested. "If you had fun then I see no reason to not—"

"It's more complicated than that," Keith muttered.

"In what ways?" Shiro inquired.

"I don't know your friend group. I'm the 'new' one. I'm the joke that people can make fun of. And I don't really know that I want to commit myself to some geek game with my brother and his friends." Keith shrugged like it was no big deal but Shiro could see the tension in his shoulders as he held his breath.

Suddenly, an idea popped into Shiro's head. "You know Allura right? Well she's one of the most popular people on this whole campus. She has a popular boyfriend," Shiro couldn't help his voice souring at the idea of Lotor, "and yet she still plays with us. She is loyal and fiercely protective of our group and she loves playing.

"Matt and I are both grad students and we still meet to play every chance we get. Pidge is always busy with their tech projects but they love D&D. Hunk could be spending time with his girlfriend, Shay, but he hangs out with us. And Shay is more than supportive of that, she just doesn't really understand the game well enough to play, though we tried to get her to join once. Coran has always loved the game and he helped to be our sponsor when he learned that Pidge, Matt, and I played."

"And what about Lance?" Keith joked.

"I'm not entirely sure," Shiro laughed. "He probably has something that he could be working on."

Keith rolled his eyes, "Yeah, like a three hour beauty routine."

"Probably," Shiro smiled, "But my point is," his voice dropped and he placed his hand reassuringly on Keith's shoulder, "That all of us would prefer to play D&D over just doing our own thing. We are a family. And we want to adopt you."

Keith snorted with laughter. " _You_ already did adopt me."

"True, but that was more of my aunt's decision than my own. But I did persuade her."

"So will joining D&D give me that awkward 'where do I sit' feeling for the next several months—"

Shiro interjected, "Did you have that this time?"

"I suppose not…" Keith replied, his tone still skeptical.

"Then why don't you come for another week?" Shiro suggested. "I really think that this could be really good for you. You need to get out and talk to people more." He poked Keith's side getting a squawk of protest from him. "You need to use those people skills that are so ever lacking."

"Ha. Ha" Keith deadpanned.

"I'm serious!" Shiro cried through his grin.

"Sure," Keith replied sarcastically. "I'll say that my social skills are lacking when you admit that Mothman is real."

Shiro rolled his eyes. "This is what I mean. You look up conspiracies all day. You need to do something else with your life."

Keith paused. "I'm not giving up on my mothman, because he is the love of my life and I would definitely marry him, but... I'll think about it. That's it, though. I'm not agreeing yet."

Shiro nodded. "Okay, I'll take it."

"I gotta get back to practice," Keith said, handing the water back to Shiro.

"Okay," he smiled. "Stab them all."

Keith turned around as he jogged away, his helmet under his arm, and he saluted Shiro with two fingers and a sly grin.

Shiro stayed to watch Keith get reprimanded by their coach, Kolivan. He stayed to watch Keith's next match where he was aggressive and quick enough and good enough at dodging to completely dominate over his opponent. Shiro swore that Keith could jump backwards five feet in the air.

Keith always denied that he was all that good, despite the fact that he was quickly becoming one of Kolivan's prized team members.

Shiro was glad that Keith had something he could be passionate about that could get some of his nervous energy out, too. He never really did anything with his days so Shiro wanted him to find as many hobbies and passions as he could before it was too late and he didn't know what to do with his life.

That was mostly the reason why Shiro wanted Keith to join D&D so badly.

~~~...

Hunk~

"I just want to show the Mullethead how good I can be at fighting," Lance persisted. "I mean, I only was able to show him a _sliver_ of my skills."

"Yes, Lance," Hunk sighed. "We've already been over this." Hunk didn't bother Looking at Lance. He was too busy taking notes as his teacher, Krolia, pointed at the projector screen to explain to them their lesson on World War I and how it affected the world afterwards.

"I know!" Lance lamented, flopping backwards in his chair. His voice managed to sound whiney even in a whisper. "But… _Hunk_. I didn't get good fighting numbers. All of my rolls were complete shit! I need to prove to him that I can do better and how can I do that if he never shows up again?"

"Just talk to him," Hunk said tiredly. It was Friday. Lance had been talking about Keith joining their D&D group for the last two days. At least it was Friday. Tomorrow, he could go to his moms' place and meet with Shay and eat yummy food and… everything would be amazing.

"I can't 'just talk to him,'" Lance said like it was the most obvious fact in the world. "He and I are trying to do better than the other. I have to show that I can do better than him. Which makes us rivals. And rivals don't 'just talk to' each other."

"Lance… D&D is a game where you work _together_. We don't want to have to clean up the damage if you two battle. That takes too much effort for a rivalry you just made up. Does Keith even know about this 'rivalry'?"

"You don't just go up to your nemesis and say 'Are you my nemesis?'" Lance replied coolly. "You have to wait until the tension grows and _BOOM._ Then you are arch enemies."

" _Shh,"_ Hunk hissed. Krolia had looked their way. "And besides," he told Lance in as quiet of a whisper as he could manage, "I don't think that's how nemesi work." _It sounds more like how couples work_. But Hunk decided not to share that thought. He didn't want the whole room exploding from Lance's outburst.

"Nemesi?" Lance asked. "Is that the plural of nemesis?"

"Yes, Lance," Hunk sighed again. He glanced up at the screen right as Krolia changed it. _Shoot_! Hunk chastised himself for letting Lance distract him into forgetting to copy the notes down.

Of course, Lance hadn't been copying anything the entire time. He usually didn't. He usually snuck into Hunk's room while he slept and took pictures of Hunk's notes, no matter how many different places he hid them.

"I just think it would be a good idea for Mullet to join our group and learn to fear the great and magnificent Lancelot." Lance pressed his hand to his chest and turned his head so he was getting the most overhead light to shine on his 'perfect' face. "Princess Keith's gonna need a lot of saving after all."

Hunk snorted. He imagined Keith in that pink dress Coran had described being held in Lance's arms while he wrapped his own around Lance's neck. Wouldn't that be a sight?

Though… with Keith being shorter than Lance… Lance could probably pick him up. But Keith sure wouldn't be looking at him like he had created the moon and stars. He would be glaring like Lance had stolen his favorite knife and was holding it hostage.

And then Hunk imagined them riding off into the sunset together. But instead of Keith, the princess, sitting side saddle, Lance did and Keith steered the horse.

That would be great.

"Don't you think Hunk?" Lance asked.

"Hm?" Hunk said being drawn from his fantasy dreams, "Oh, yes. Saving. Probably. But he might also need to save you y'know. Plus, you are sort of his slave."

Lance's expression soured. "I did _not_ agree to that."

"What was it you had said? 'I shall wait on you hand and foot milady'?" Hunk snorted. "Just admit that you talked yourself into slavery."

"Never," Lance asserted. "I shall vanquish all mighty beasts before _he_ ever can."

"What a great protector you are!" Hunk cried with false enthusiasm.

"I— No— wait! That's not what I mean!" Lance spluttered.

"But as a slave isn't that what you are supposed to do?" Hunk asked innocently.

"No… I'm supposed to _best_ him in battles. Not do them for him…" Lance tried.

"Dude," Hunk smirked, "there is literally no way out of this where you win this argument."

Lance huffed and sank back down into his chair. There were a few glorious seconds of silence where Hunk was able to take notes in peace before Lance started talking again. "I still want him back on the team though. We have to finish our quest through the land of Voltron _at least_."

"Yes, yes," Hunk said dismissively. "I agree. We'll have to see what happens. Shiro said that he was iffy on it so we'll just have to wait."

"What if you talked to him?" Lance asked.

"It wouldn't do much good," Hunk shrugged, "He barely knows me. It would be better if Shiro or Matt were to talk to him. Or maybe Pidge. Pidge can be pretty convincing."

"Oooh!" Lance sat up eagerly. "You're right! I'll work on recruiting them to go and recruit Keith!"

"Alright, sure," Hunk said, jotting down the final pages of notes as neatly as he could.

"Yay!" Lance said, his voice rising in volume, "I can finally show Keith how spectacular I am!"

"McClain," Krolia said, turning to Lance at his risen voice. Hunk tried to look as inconspicuous as he could. Krolia marched over until she was two desks away from Lance's. "Do you have something you would like to share with the whole class?"

"Um," Lance said as he turned towards Krolia, an easy grin on his face and cocky lift to his eyebrow. "Not particularly."

Hunk glanced at Krolia. She had her arms crossed across her chest, a purple blouse and black slacks on and her pointing stick pointing downwards from her hand. Hunk noticed that her raven black hair was cut in a form like Keith's mullet. It sort of struck Hunk how similar she looked to Keith. Maybe it was just the mullet and the similar grumpy expression on their faces.

"Fine," Krolia relented. "Just… pay attention. I know you don't know anything about what I've been teaching today so I expect to be seeing you in my morning tutorials tomorrow."

Lance glared at the back of her head. "Alright Krolia. I will be there."

"Good," She said, her tone brightening. "Now, for the finale of our lesson..."

"So… You'll help me ask Pidge, right?" Lance hissed to Hunk.

Hunk sighed inwardly. "Alright. Sure. Now don't get in trouble."

" _Yes!"_ Lance said in hushed celebration, pumping his fists in the air excitedly.

~~~...

Pidge~

"Why was I talked into this?" Pidge muttered to themself. "I hate stuff like this. I'm horrible at talking to people."

"You're not that bad," Matt reassured them. "Believe me. You've persuaded me to do many things that I never would have done normally."

Pidge laughed, "That's because you are so easy to manipulate sometimes though, oh brother of mine."

Matt rolled his eyes and Pidge decided that they needed to manipulate and tease him _just_ a little.

"So…" Pidge said as suspiciously as they could manage. "How are you and Shiro doing?"

Matt smacked his hand to his face and slid it down while he moaned " _Pidgggee..."_ Though, that probably wasn't the smartest idea since he was the one driving.

"What?" Pidge asked sweetly. "I was just asking how you and your… friend are."

Pidge watched as Matt rolled his eyes. "I know that you are implying more. You have zero subtlety abilities."

"Who says I was being subtle?" Pidge asked, raising an eyebrow.

Matt just sighed. "Do you have the blackmail ready?"

"What blackmail?" Pidge asked, feigning innocence. It was so fun for them to play around with Matt.

"Look, Pidge," Matt said, a smile twisting on his lips, "I know you. You wouldn't come to persuade Keith without blackmail."

Pidge pondered the pros and cons of telling their brother about the pictures they had stored in their green jacket's pockets. "I might tell you… if you tell me about Shiro." They raised their eyebrows and stared at Matt with their head tilted towards him.

"I would be happy to just talk to Keith. I don't think we need any blackmail."

"But…" Pidge said tauntingly, "Don't you want to see these pictures too?"

Matt pulled into the parking lot and put the car in park. He sat in silence, his arms folded across his chest. Pidge watched him carefully, waiting to see how he would break.

"Fine," Matt muttered, not looking at Pidge. "We haven't talked since D&D."

"Speaking of which… how was that drinking game?"

Matt folded his arms on the steering wheel and flopped his head on them, muffling his voice. "I was hoping I could get him to act drunk and then I could act drunk and maybe I would be courageous enough to sit in his lap or something."

"I would have videoed that," Pidge replied thoughtfully.

"Pidge… this is serious," Matt whined as he turned his head, still on his arms, to face Pidge, "I am getting worse at being subtle! He's going to notice that I like him at some point. And… and I can't do that! I mean… other people have relationships and it's fine but what would the group think? What would Shiro think?"

All of the teasing inside of Pidge was pushed to a corner so that they could be there for their brother. "Matt," they said placing a hand on his shoulder, "You two are wonderful friends and Shiro is the nicest person in the world. He wouldn't be mad at you."

"But… it's _wrong_ ," Matt mumbled.

"What is?" Pidge said tartly crossing their arms over their chest. "That my brother, Matt, is wonderfully in love with his best friend and wishes he could spend the rest of his life with him? I see no problem."

"A:" Matt raised his hand to tally his arguments, "he's my friend and friends are supposed to remain friends. B: Why would he ever like me? I'm weird and awkward. C: I'm a _guy_."

Pidge smirked, patting their brother on the back, "Thank you for coming out as being male."

Matt rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean."

"I do…" Pidge conceded, "but, again, there is _nothing_ wrong. Now, I've tortured you enough. Do you want to see the pictures?"

Matt nodded sitting up and leaning over to Pidge. Pidge pulled out their phone and opened up the photos section and scrolled through the folders until they found Keith's blackmail folder. They opened it and found the picture they were looking for.

In the picture, Keith was sleeping with his computer pushed off to the side, still open, his head was hanging off the bed, and he was hugging a large poster-board that was cut in the shape of mothman and had his picture pasted onto it.

"Aw! Look at that peaceful look on his face!" Matt gushed.

"I know, right? Isn't it just amazing?" Pidge commented. "I can't wait to show him."

"Let's go. You've got some blackmailing to do." Matt unbuckled and got out of the car, locking it after Pidge exited.

Pidge didn't even wait for Matt to catch up to them before they were hopping into the school. It was later at night but Shiro had told them that Keith liked to stay late on Fridays at the library to study… and look up random conspiracies on the computer.

Pidge was so excited that they had decided to go and talk to Shiro because he had the _best_ tips! And he also sent Pidge a plethora of blackmail photos. That alone made him a good person in Pidge's book.

Pidge rushed inside the school, opening the door with a bang and entering the hallway. Without waiting for their brother, Pidge dashed around corners and turns in the hallway until they came upon the library.

Once inside, Pidge found the place to be virtually deserted except for Keith and a couple of other students studying while the two librarians put books away. Pidge was unsettled by the silence. They really hated silence. The library needed music or _something._

Pidge marched over to where Keith was sitting and was amazed that he didn't look up to notice them there. He looked so focused on his computer that Pidge became fascinated by watching his eyes dart across the page.

"Wow, Keith," Pidge commented as they walked behind him and rested an arm on his head. "You're actually studying in a library."

And then Pidge glanced at his computer. And the books next to it.

They were all conspiracy theories.

 _Why am I not surprised?_ Pidge wondered.

"Hey," Keith said defensively, shaking his head to knock Pidge's arm off. It didn't work. "I know I should be working but math homework is boring."

"All homework is boring."

"True," Keith commented, bookmarking the tab he was on and closing his computer. "So, what brings you here?"

Pidge smiled mischievously. "You'll see," they said as they yanked Keith's arm up and started to pull him.

"Wait! Let me get my computer," Keith protested. Pidge let him, reluctantly.

After they exited the library, Keith leaned up against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest. "Alright, what is it?"

Pidge grinned and started pacing in front of him. They saw their brother Matt out of the corner of their eye as Matt was sitting on a bench nearby, ready to be the support team if Pidge needed it.

"Well, I was recruited to… work on you."

Keith coked an eyebrow in apprehension. "That's not suspicious at all," he said dryly.

"Well, I may have gotten some help to try… persuading you."

"To do what?"

"I think you know what we want," Pidge said silkily.

"No? No, I don't," Keith said, annoyance creeping into his voice.

"Three words. D&D."

"Does that even count as three words?" Keith inquired. "I feel like that's two letters and a symbol."

"Whatever," Pidge muttered. "You know what I mean. No one cares about all the technicalities."

Keith shrugged. "Okay. What about D&D did you want to talk to me about?"

"We want you to join," Pidge said authoritatively. "It's as simple as that. _But_ , before you argue," they could just see the way that Keith was opening his mouth to argue joining. "I want you to know that I enlisted Shiro's help?"

"Wha—" Keith started.

"Nope, Shiro helped me to find some pictures of my favorite thing in the world: Blackmail." Pidge expected Keith to gasp dramatically. He didn't. They needed to get Matt over here so that they could have an entourage.

"Matt! I need support!"

"Coming," he said marching over.

"Hi, Matt," Keith said. "Do you know what the fuck is happening?"

"Yes. Pidge is blackmailing you," Matt said.

"Ah," Keith commented.

"So…" Pidge said, trying to sound like an executioner interrogating to find a reason for the crimes. "Our conditions are that you join our D&D group, have fun, or else we will show…" Pidge swiped their phone as they talked pulling up the picture, "THIS."

Pidge turned the phone around to show Keith.

He tilted his head. "It's sideways."

"Ugh," Pidge sighed. "Why does shit like this always ruin my plans?"

"Boo," Matt, the not-so-supportive support, said.

Pidge shook their phone until it turned to the proper direction. "I meant to show you… THIS."

Pidge watched carefully as Keith looked at the picture. He didn't make any kind of expression. _Really? Really? Nothing?! What the fuck is wrong with you Keith?_

"Okay," Keith said shrugging. "I told you, Mothman is my soulmate."

"Dude…" Matt said.

"What?" Keith asked. "Shiro has that picture up in his room. I'm surprised you haven't seen it before, Matt."

Matt flushed pink. It was hilarious.

"Anyway, I got over the embarrassment of that photo a long time ago," Keith said, shrugging.

Pidge was aghast. How could anyone _get over_ the embarrassment of a photo like that? Then an idea came into their head. Pidge had seen the way that Keith had been competing with Lance…

"Are you sure you want Lance to see this picture?" they asked slyly.

Keith's eyes narrowed. It did bother him.

"I wouldn't care."

"Wonderful! Then I'll show him on Monday over lunch."

Matt snorted. Pidge could still blackmail him. Hmm.

"Okay," Keith said, still trying to sound nonchalant, but Pidge could hear the strain in his voice. It was time to implement plan B.

"Cool. Well, I mean I do have to show everyone because they were the ones who hired me. Lance especially wanted you to join."

Keith's eyes widened. "What? Why? He shouldn't care."

"From what I heard," Matt supplied, "he wanted to kick your ass in the most epic way possible."

"Really?" Keith said skeptically. "From what I saw, there was no way he could have beaten my magical vines."

Pidge snorted. "Keith, buddy, if you were to ever make internet vines, most of them would be about you throwing knives at a random object. Or they would show your devotion to Mothman. No one would watch them."

"Hey, hey, hey!" Keith cried indignantly. "You don't _know_ that. Maybe people would watch that. People watch other people doing strange stuff all of the time. You know that one vine where—"

"Yes, probably," Pidge waved him off, "But right now, I don't care. You need to listen to my demands."

"You can't force me to listen. You hold nothing over me. And you're not denying that I would beat Lance in a fight," Keith smirked.

Pidge sighed, "That's because you probably would beat him. In D&D and in real life. In D&D, he's a fucking bard. Bards can't do anything. In real life you fence. And he… does whatever Lance does in his free time. I don't know and I don't want to. You could ask Hunk because he probably knows, being Lance's best friend. I legit respect Hunk. That man puts up with so much. I, for one, don't keep tabs on Lance because I'm assuming that whatever he does is weird and would scar me. I'm too innocent for that—"

Matt burst out a snort of laughter. "Pidge, you are _not_ innocent."

Pidge swatted at Matt while still looking at Keith. "Anyway! Yes, fine, you would probably win in a fight. The only thing that Lance could do is persuade you—"

"What?" Keith said monotonically.

"To do as he says," Pidge finished. "Hey, I'm just stating the facts and complimenting you. And you are getting me off topic. Let's get down to business."

Matt smiled, "To defeat the Huns."

Pidge glanced at Matt, "Not now. Right now I want to convince Keith to join D&D."

"Pidge," Keith sighed, rubbing his eyes. "I already agreed to come back. I just wasn't telling you guys because… reasons."

Pidge nodded sagely. "Okay…"

"Sweet!" Matt said holding his hand for a high five that Keith returned.

"Can I still show the picture at Monday's lunch?"

"No," Keith said.

"But… what if _I_ want to more than _you_ don't want me to?" Pidge inquired.

"That makes no sense," Keith told them. "And my answer is still no."

"What if we make a new deal?" Matt said, looking at Pidge. He bent down to whisper in their ear. Pidge started nodding. They _loved_ this idea.

"What are you two whispering about?" Keith asked.

Matt smiled. "We have a new deal. You join us for lunch on Monday and we won't show this photo or the other three Shiro sent Pidge. In fact, Pidge will delete the pictures from their phone. If you don't show up, then we will retaliate and show everyone the pictures. Along with any more that Shiro might have on his phone."

Keith's expression soured. He was probably thinking of all of the blackmail Shiro had stored on his phone and how he was dying to delete the pictures from Shiro's phone.

"Ugh," Keith sighed. "Fine. I don't want Lance making fun of me for the next century. Where do you guys sit?"

~~~...

Keith~

Keith left the building with his satchel slung over his shoulder and walked towards where he parked his motorcycle. Shiro had gotten him his motorcycle when he turned 18 and it had been the best present ever. Well, really Shiro had gotten a rundown, used motorcycle and he and Keith had worked together to fix it up and paint it a bright shiny red color.

Keith put his bag into the storage compartment and then put on his helmet and started driving home. He loved the way the wind rustled his jacket as he sped along the road not needing to stop because of the lack of people on the road.

He wouldn't let his mind think of anything as he drove. He wouldn't let his mind think of Lance or Pidge or anyone else. He only allowed himself to feel the rush of the wind and the calming flash of the lights as he sped past.

Before he knew it, Keith was pulling into the apartment complex he and Shiro lived in. It felt like he was stuck in a slow moving void as he took off his helmet and locked his bike in and walked up the stairs until he came to the apartment door.

He couldn't help but sigh as he stuck his key in the lock (Shiro got paranoid and locked the door even when they were home). He walked in to see Shiro studying in the big chair he usually sat in in the living room area. He was reading a book but it was a hardcover that Shiro had removed the paper sleeve to, so Keith couldn't tell what book he was reading.

"Hi, Keith!" Shiro greeted warmly. Keith thought he looked too smart with his reading glasses on. It was weird. He set his book on the side table and stood up to walk over to where Keith was.

"Hey, Shiro," Keith replied, heading to the kitchen to make a snack. He poured himself a bowl of cereal followed by pouring milk into it.

"How did your library time go?" Shiro asked. "Wait. Did you grab real milk?"

Keith glared at Shiro, "Yes. Yes it is. Screw you I'm drinking it all." He took a big bite just to accentuate his point, setting his bowl on the kitchen counter and leaning onto it next to Shiro. "And second, don't play innocent. You know full well what happened tonight."

Shiro tilted his head, his glasses glinting in the dim lighting like a freaking anime character. "Keith… you're lactose intol—"

"Yes and you gave blackmail to _Pidge_!" Keith said. "Did you plan to ruin my life?"

"You said that those photos don't bother you," Shiro replied.

"It no longer bothers me that they are up in your room but that—" his glasses were too distracting. Keith couldn't look at them any more. He reached up and snatched his brother's glasses off of his face.

Shiro didn't react. He must have gotten used to Keith taking his glasses from him.

"You aren't supposed to wear these when you aren't reading," Keith told Shiro. "Remember?"

Shiro sighed, "Yeah, I know. But maybe I just want to imitate you rebelling. Like you drinking real milk."

"Fuck off," Keith muttered, draining his milk in two gulps.

Shiro just shook his head and took his reading glasses, placing them on a shelf nearby.

"Still," Keith said, pushing Shiro back to the previous conversation, "Why did you give Pidge those photos as blackmail?"

Shiro shrugged. "They asked. Apparently Lance and Hunk were asking them to blackmail you and Pidge wanted some photos to use. It made sense. We all want you to join our D&D group and Pidge is the best at persuading."

"Blackmailing," Keith corrected. "There is no persuading. Pidge only works in the dark arts."

"True," Shiro nodded. He paused as though considering his words. "So… are you going to join us? I really think—"

"Yes, Shiro," Keith said as he dropped his bowl into the sink. "I had already decided that I would join. I just wasn't telling you guys because…"

"Because you weren't sure that everyone really wanted you to join?" Shiro suggested.

"Well… yeah. I just figured everyone was being nice to me." Keith didn't look at Shiro. He didn't have to. Shiro knew first hand how… out of place Keith felt he was.

"Keith," Shiro placed his left hand on Keith's shoulder. Keith felt the slight chill and smooth surface of Shiro's prosthetic through his jacket, but it didn't bother him. Not anymore. "If this group accepted me, then they will no doubt want you to join them as well."

Keith held still for a moment longer, letting the pressure of Shiro's hand comfort him before he shrugged his brother off and said "I'm going to my room."

"Okay," Shiro replied.

Keith walked down the hallway before remembering that he had one more thing to talk to Shiro about. "Oh, and Shiro? I was blackmailed into eating lunch with you guys on monday so can you show me where everyone sits?"

Shiro grinned, "Of course. I can't wait to see how that goes." His tone had a slightly malicious edge.

"How what goes?" Keith asked, suddenly suspicious of what Shiro knew about the table.

"Oh, nothing," Shiro dismissed, waving his arm for Keith to go to his room. "You'll find out on Monday."

"But—" Keith tried.

"I know you want to know but I'm not telling you. I don't want my head mounted on Pidge's wall."

Keith couldn't help but laugh softly. He knew that his brother wasn't going to give up the information so Keith shook his head and went into his room.

The door closed behind him with a soft _thump_ ; Keith set down his school bag next to the foot of his bed.

He _really_ didn't feel like doing homework. He was too wound up from Pidge and all of their blackmail.

And he was too worried about joining Shiro's D&D group. Wasn't there something about little brother's not encroaching on their older brother's friend groups? What if they were just being nice to Keith as a favor to Shiro or something. Keith didn't want to be just another person that they had to drag along.

A part of him wanted to believe that they sincerely wanted him to come back and play more with them, but the other part of him was worried and doubtful.

And… even though it was partially from Shiro, Keith didn't like that they were blackmailing him. No matter the reason Keith didn't like depending on other people's kindness. He wished that they would just trust him and ask him to join instead of conning him into it.

Though, that was the only way Shiro had managed to get Keith to try out one game of D&D, so Keith supposed it was a proven method.

Maybe lunch wouldn't be too bad. Maybe everyone genuinely did want to see him and talk to him. Maybe they would be happy to have him join their group.

And maybe whatever ritual Shiro had been talking about, wouldn't actually be that bad?

Or… maybe Lance had something diabolically horrible that Keith would have to endure like having to act like a princess for the entirety of Lunch.

Keith could just imagine Lance acting like a knight and trying to do chivalrous things for Keith all through the duration of Lunch, and maybe even after it, while Pidge filmed the whole thing and Matt tried to be a peasant or a slave for someone like Shiro.

On second thought, maybe something like that wouldn't be so bad.

 _Oh, shit._ Keith thought to himself. _Did I really just think that spending time with_ Lance _wouldn't be so bad? Ugh.  
_

 _~~~..._

* * *

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I would love to hear your thoughts in a review. Even just favoriting is nice!

Thank you so much for reading and I'll try to update soon!

(Please go to AO3 if you want to see the art. Same name for the fic.)

Thank you again!


	2. Drinking and Diving off of Cliffs

Lance~

Lance had been told that Keith would be joining them for their lunch today. He couldn't help but anxiously await Keith coming. He was curious what would happen. He wondered if Keith would have to do the initiation.

Who was Lance kidding? Of COURSE Keith would have an initiation. There was no way that Pidge would let him get out of it. And if they did, Lance would fight for it.

Lance was the only one looking out for Keith while everyone else was distracted with their own conversations. Ergo, Lance was the first one to spot Keith's stupid mullet when he walked in next to Shiro.

"There he is!" Lance called, accidentally interrupting a story Hunk was telling. "Mullet decided to show up!"

Hunk glanced at him suspiciously but Lance merely winked at him and waved to Shiro. "Shiro! You brought him! Now we can make him suffer and bask in my own glory."

"But by Keith showing up, that means we can't show the blackmail," Pidge reminded him. "And, alas, I think I have to delete it."

Lance noticed Matt subtly shaking his head no to Pidge. Pidge snorted and turned their head down so that they could hide their smile.

Lance would have been surprised if they had actually decided to delete whatever blackmail was on their phone. As Pidge said, blackmail can always be recycled.

Keith walked up to the table and stood awkwardly, his arms crossed over his chest. He was wearing a plain black t-shirt and black pants. Lance wondered if he had any color variety in what he wore or if it was always just black and maybe red.

"You can sit down," Hunk told Keith gesturing to the open seat that was, of course, next to Lance. Why wouldn't Lance be stuck next to him? Well, at least he would have a good view of the blackmailing.

Awkwardly, Keith crept over and took a seat. On Keith's other side, Shiro sat smiling at everyone. "I brought Keith."

"It was a group effort," Matt added, smiling as he stared at Shiro.

"We struggled," Pidge agreed.

Keith rolled his eyes, "Yeah, and you blackmailed me. So here I am. I showed up."

"Good for you," Pidge said dryly.

"Can you delete the photos now?" Keith asked.

"There would be no point," Hunk said sympathetically. "Pidge could recover them really easily."

"Are you kidding me?" Keith groaned.

"No," Allura said as she took a drink of her coffee.

"That's why we all fear Pidge," Lance added.

"Can I please just pull a Shiro and just… die?" Keith groaned.

"I don't know whether to be offended or complimented by that…" Shiro said pensively. "Do I really talk about wanting to die that often?"

"Yes," everyone chorused around the table.

"I think you said you wanted to die at least five times during last period," Hunk said nervously.

"I was annoyed," Shiro mumbled.

Keith put a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay. People annoy me too."

"Do you two need help?" Hunk asked quietly.

Keith and Shiro looked at each other, shrugged, and then at Hunk. "Eh…" Keith said. "Probably," Shiro added.

"It's fine," Pidge assured them. "Wanting death is normal."

"No it isn't?" Hunk told them, sounding confused.

Pidge turned to him. "I don't know what world you are living in, but I'm pretty sure that it's normal."

"Pidge, nothing you think or do is normal," Allura commented.

"Can I just hug all of you?" Hunk asked. "And bake cookies? And send you to therapy?"

"Cookies are always appreciated," Matt piped up.

"I'll decline the other two," Keith added.

"I'll take a hug," Lance said, leaning over to his friend who obliged.

"So anyway," Allura said, "I heard that Keith would have to go through the _initiation._ "

Lance remembered when he went through their initiation. He had dressed in a blue cat costume and had to sneak into Principal Iverson's office to steal a pen. It hadn't been that difficult, but he had almost been caught. He wanted to know how Keith handled that.

"Yes," Pidge said, folding their hands and crossing their legs like they were preparing to do business. "The Initiation."

Keith sighed, "What do I have to do?"

Lance grinned, "Eh, It's not that bad. I swear, if I can do it, you can probably do it."

"I can do _anything_ you can do _way_ better."

"Oh really?" Lance challenged.

"Yes really," Keith cemented.

"Well, for this initiation," Pidge interjected, "You have to use that glorious motorcycle."

"Alright," Keith nodded. "What should I do? Are we talking 'get away cycle' or stunts?"

Pidge looked away at the wall for a moment and then said, "Drive off of a cliff."

"Fuck yeah!" Keith exclaimed. "That is just my kind of initiation."

"Alright," Lance said slyly, "Then how about you have to wear a tiara, _milady_." Lance knew that his nephew had a tiara that Lance could borrow that would be just _perfect._

Keith glared at him with such a force of death, that Lance was sure Keith was attempting to mentally strangle him and was succeeding.

"And a tutu," Allura added, smiling sweetly.

"Oh, god, yes," Matt agreed. "A pink tutu and a tiara for the Dwarven Princess."

Keith turned his glare to all of them. "Fuck off, all of you. I am _not_ wearing a pink tutu."

"Would you wear a red one?" Matt asked.

"I am not wearing _any_ tutus."

"Welp," Pidge shrugged. "I suppose that I'll just have to show all of these pictures. You know, I especially like the one that Shiro sent me of when you were running through the sprinklers with an inflatable hippo."

"SHIRO," Keith shouted, "How could you BETRAY me like that?"

Shiro was snorting trying to hold back laughter, "Keith I—"

"W-w-wait," Lance interrupted, "You did _what_ with a hippo?"

"Keith likes hippos," Shiro said.

"Shiro!" Keith shouted. "You don't have to announce that!"

"Keith…." Shiro sighed, "Is your hippo thing really worse than Mothman?"

"To other people…" Keith trailed off, "I'm not sure but Mothman is my soulmate and you can't convince me otherwise."

"So…." Lance said, leaning over to Pidge to whisper in their ear, "I'm tempted to ask who Mothman is but I don't really want to unleash a three hour powerpoint lecture?"

Pidge nodded. "Good call. But you got your time estimate all wrong. More like a thirty six hour powerpoint."

Shiro was sighing, "I give up."

"Keith," Pidge said to get his attention, "Do you want me to share the picture? I can. Or you could wear the tutu…."

"Wait wait wait," Keith grumbled, "Don't show the picture."

"I think this is a win-win situation for me," Lance said. He could just imagine Keith in a tutu and tiara and the idea made him crack up with laughter.

Keith glared at him but didn't say anything. He turned back to Pidge and said, "I am _not_ wearing a tutu but I will make a deal with you."

"Oooh," Lance muttered under his breath, "You are making a deal with the devil there."

Pidge nodded appreciatively. "Alright Keith," they said, "What have you got?"

"What if I wore the tiara all week?" Keith asked.

Pidge tilted their head to the side, weighing their options. "Okay… that would work. IF we can call you Princess Keith the whole week."

Keith moaned, sinking back in his chair and tilting his head back. Lance noticed that his hair was dangling down in tangly clumps. Stupid mullet.

"UGH," Keith moaned, "Fine. I suppose this is better than the tutu."

"Shake on it?" Pidge asked.

"I feel like this is rigged," Keith said, "But fine?"

"Wait wait," Shiro said quickly. "You are doing this? Jumping off of a cliff? No no no!"

"Chill, dad," Pidge said. "I was thinking that one sloping cliff out south of the school. You know, the one by the picnic benches?"

Shiro looked at the ceiling, contemplating life. "That is still really not safe."

"Shiro," Keith said softly, "I _want_ to do this. Let me go. Let me be free."

"Keith?" Shiro moaned. "What the heck?"

"Let him be free," Lance agreed.

Shiro sighed, "Can't we just do the usual ini—"

"Ba-ba-ba," Pidge interrupted. "This is a variation of what we always do."

"Don't you remember, Shiro?" Matt asked, joining in on Pidge's rouse.

"No I really don't." Shiro grumbled.

"Well, you are getting old," Lance commented. "Memory is faulty and all that."

"Yep, he's almost seven," Keith announced.

"Oh god, Keith," Shiro groaned loudly. "First of all, how can seven be old? Yesterday, you called me six and a child and now you are calling me old? I see how it is. My age is only convenient when it needs to be. Secondly, I don't want to remind the others of my age."

"I know," Hunk sighed. "Sometimes it is rough being a parent of six when you are only six yourself."

Lance started laughing, as Shiro just looked so done with everyone.

"I just want to die."

Matt laughed, "And that brings the tally up to seven times of death just today! And lunch isn't even over. I think we have reached a new record."

"I think you are making that up but okay," Shiro sighed.

"I'm pretty sure he said that at least ten times during one D&D campaign one day. And that was only a three hour day," Allura added.

"You have a point there," Matt agreed. "He tried to jump into a fire trap just because he wanted to."

"Well," Pidge said, "As much as I love Shiro being the dad, six, and dead all at once, Lunch is almost over and Keith and I haven't shaken on it."

"Let's make it a blood pact," Keith said, drawing his knife out.

"Dude!" Lance exclaimed. "Do you literally have a knife in your bag?"

"Yes," Shiro sighed softly.

"YES!" Keith proclaimed proudly. "I love this knife. It is made of—"

"Doesn't matter," Pidge said. "It's blood pact time."

"Um," Hunk said quietly, "how about you don't do that? Some of us are eating and don't like blood. Also… how did you get that into school? "

"But blood keeps you from being a dried out pile of loose bones and skin," Matt told him. "I don't want to roll around with my skin flapping against my bones all of the time."

"That just sounds so wrong," Hunk told Matt.

"Why thank you," Matt said.

"That wasn't a compliment," Hunk said quietly.

"Please, Keith," Shiro said, "Put the knife away and just shake your hands together."

Keith opened his mouth like he was going to protest but then must have decided against it. Lance was sure that Shiro was very used to telling Keith to put his knife away.

"Fine," Keith grumbled then glanced at Pidge.

"Spit pact?" Pidge asked.

Keith nodded and spit into his hand. Pidge did the same and they shook on it.

" _Guys,_ " Hunk protested. "That is so unsanitary. Here. Have some hand sanitizer." Hunk produced a small bottle from his backpack and held it open and ready to be squeezed at any moment.

"Hunk," Pidge said, "That kind of defeats the purpose of a spit pact."

"I don't care," Hunk said. "Sanitize."

"But—" Pidge tried.

Before they could get far in protesting, Hunk grabbed their hand and squirted a large amount of sanitizer onto it.

"H _unk_ ," Pidge groaned. "This stuff smells like health. I don't want to be healthy. It hurts my head."

"Deal with it," Hunk grumbled walking over to Keith.

"Hands, now," He said.

Keith looked up and hissed at him. "No. That defeats the purpose."

"SEE! HE GETS IT!" Pidge cried as they shook their hands to dry them of the sanitizer."

Hunk shook his head and grabbed Keith's hand before he could really move. He squirted a large dollop onto Keith's hand.

"Why don't you guys just do pinky promises? It's not that hard, less dangerous, and much more sanitary." Hunk told them.

"Because pinky promises are for the weak!" Pidge shouted.

"Booooo…." Keith sighed staring at his hand. "Ugh. Pidge, you are right. This stuff sucks."

"I KNOW!" they cried in outrage. "DOESN'T IT?

"It smells like doctors and doctors keep you alive and that sounds awful," Keith complained.

"What a mood," Shiro said.

Lance paused, wondering if he had heard Shiro correctly.

Matt seemed to share Lance's look of shock and confusion.

"So tonight?" Allura asked. "At dusk?"

"Yes," Keith said. "I'm ready."

"Keith…" Shiro said.

"I'll bring the tiara!" Lance added. He thought about his nephew's tiara that he figured would be just perfect.

"Fantastic," Pidge nodded. "It's settled then. Let the initiation of Princess Keith commence tonight at dusk!"

Keith~

Riding his motorcycle, Keith had followed Shiro (who was driving Pidge and Matt in a van) to the place they were supposed to meet.

He was expecting a huge cliff with a sheer drop that would be almost impossible to do and would probably result in death. Keith was ready to try.

But what he saw was a gently sloping incline compared to what he had been imagining. It was still a steep cliff but it wasn't directly vertical.

Keith shook his head as he pulled his motorcycle to a stop.

He looked around and saw that the sun was already below the horizon causing the sky to be an ombre of blues and yellows with clouds that seemed to almost glow a deep red. The shadows of the surrounding plateaus and cliffs stretched along the ground, shading the rocky terrain with greys and browns.

Allura, Hunk, and Lance were already there while Matt and Pidge stepped out of the van Shiro had been driving them in. Matt was holding a bottle of wine in one hand and a pack of soda in the other. Shiro was carrying a small handheld first aid kit.

Keith put his bike into park and took off his helmet, shaking his head a little to get his hair to stop sticking to his neck.

He could hear Matt and Shiro bickering about their items.

"Why did you bring an alcoholic drink when you, me, and Allura are the only ones who can drink?" Shiro was asking.

Matt shrugged. "Why did you bring a tiny first-aid kit? If Keith gets hurt he's going to need a lot more than a bandage and some neosporin."

"I brought it because I wanted to." Shiro told Matt.

"Same with my wine," Matt told him.

Keith suspected that Matt just wanted to try to get Shiro drunk, though he wouldn't say so directly.

Keith hung his helmet on the handlebars of his motorcycle and got off, going over to greet the rest of the group.

"So you didn't chicken out, eh, Mullet?" Lance said jokingly, his extraordinarily blue eyes twinkling with a challenge.

"Did you think I would?" Keith retorted.

"Yeah," Lance shrugged, "I figured you wouldn't be up for our hard-core ideas. Oh, and here's your tiara, Princess."

"Wow," Keith deadpanned, taking the tiara from Lance. "You really thought I would pass up a chance to leap off of a cliff. I'm so offended. This has been my dream since I saw Shiro doing it—"

"Nope. That's enough," Shiro interrupted.

"No, no, no," Pidge interrupted. "Hold it. I smell a teenage Shiro story. Gimme."

"Yes," Matt agreed. "I love hearing about Shiro. I mean, uh, hearing his stories. Or… stories about him?"

Pidge sighed and patted their brother on his shoulder.

"Not now," Shiro said waving everyone off. "This is Keith's time."

Keith remembered that he was supposed to be embarrassing himself. He looked down at the tiara in his hands and saw that it was a cheap golden plastic with a large red gem in the center of it. Keith placed it on his forehead and pushed some of his hair back with it.

"You look beautiful," Lance told him his eyes flickering over Keith's face.

Keith snorted. "Yeah. No."

"Aw, but Princess Keith is the fairest in all the land!"

"I will not hesitate to stab you," Keith said, glaring daggers.

"Alas," Matt sighed dramatically, "That is a part of the initiation. Wear a tiara all week and jump of the cliff with your motorcycle."

"Speaking of which, guys:" Keith said, "I do have to say, I'm disappointed in your choice of cliffs. I mean… you could have picked one with a steeper slope, maybe a higher drop… sharp rocks…."

"Keith!" Hunk shouted, "No! You don't want to crash to your death."

"Why?" Keith asked. "It would be epic. Plus, Shiro survived something way taller than _this_ so if I survived an epic cliff like he did, I would be a legend."

"He does have a point," Lance told Hunk. "It would be a pretty epic way to die."

"Please… no dying!" Hunk requested.

"I don't think you could die on this bunny slope if you tried," Keith observed.

"Well…." Allura piped up, "I think if you were going fast enough and flipped over the motorcycle then you would probably die."

"Only if you couldn't take the pain of death," Keith added. "If you could, then would you really be dead?"

"Wait… so you are suggesting that you survive out of pure stubbornness?" Allura asked.

"Yes," Pidge responded. "That is the only way you live."

"No it's not…" Hunk murmured.

Keith snorted, "Um, yeah it is. Shiro? Matt? You two want to back Pidge and me up?"

"Yeah," Shiro said, "I think that Life is just playing with you until it decides to end the torture."

"Well," Matt half-smiled, "I don't have any deep thoughts to add, but yes, Keith. 100%."

"How about you Lance?" Keith asked. "Where do you stand with Life?"

"Dude, I live Life. I say that if anything goes wrong, fuck the universe and do it yourself."

"Lance…" Hunk said slowly.

Keith snickered to himself.

"What?" Lance questioned, "I don't owe the universe anything. It can either fuck or get fucked."

"Lance, what the heck?" Hunk asked him.

"What?" Lance asked defensively.

Hunk shook his head. Keith rolled his eyes and said "So… am I jumping this thing or what? I want to experience death." Keith caught the look Shiro was giving him and immediately added, "Not that I will. ...Die. I'll probably be fine."

"Keith…"

"Fine, I promise not to not die right now unless it is an accident."

"Even then, don't die! I do not want to file any paperwork."

Keith looked at Shiro, placing a hand over his heart. "Wow, Shiro. You just told me that my life is worth boring paperwork."

"All life is worthless," Shiro mumbled. "I mean… just look at me."

"Shiro," Matt butted in, "Your life has worth! A lot of worth. You are worth… you are worth a McDonald's Happy Meal. Wait. No. That came out wrong. I meant you bring… the happiness."

"No," Shiro deadpanned, shaking his head sadly. "I really don't."

"But you…" Matt trailed off.

"I don't know about you guys," Pidge smirked, "But I'm lovin' it."

"Shut up," Matt grumbled.

"Alright," Allura shouted, "Could we get started with the cliff jumping?"

"Please," Keith said, "I'm so ready."

"I have the filming equipment set up," Pidge told the group. They were standing next to a tripod, turning on a shining grey camera.

"Why not use your phone?" Allura inquired.

"Well… my phone is getting kinda full on storage. So this works as backup," Pidge said.

"You know, you could just delete some of those 'prized' blackmail photos and videos," Matt told them.

"No way!" Pidge cried. "These only get better with time!"

"That is true," Lance said, pointing at Pidge, "I mean, do you remember that one video of Hunk baking those cookies?"

"Um, yes?!" Pidge laughed. "That one's great."

"What!?" Hunk balked, "You still _have_ that? Really? Can't we just get rid of it?"

"Nope, never," Pidge said.

"But… that was like four years ago…" Hunk sighed weakly.

"Sorry, bro," Lance said as he wrapped an arm around Hunk's shoulder. "You have to suffer with me. They somehow got blackmail from my sister of when I _was_ four so…"

"I want to see this," Keith announced.

"I've got you," Pidge said, nodding.

"NO!" Lance bellowed, "No, do _not_ show that video to Keith."

Pidge raised their eyebrows in an attempt to look innocent, "Aww… but you are so adorable with all of those little bubbles in your hair."

"Now I _really_ want to see this video," Keith told them.

"No, you don't," Lance told him. "And I can and will fight you."

"Please," Keith dismissed, "I could take you."

"Oh, just try me, Mullet."

"How about we start the cliff jumping?" Allura asked.

"Lance… I've been to juvie," Keith added, raising an eyebrow.

"You've done _what?_ " Lance said in disbelief. Keith enjoyed the surprised look on his face.

"Yeah. You heard me. I was in juvie and it was no joke. I had to fight to keep my place on top of everyone."

"Keith," Shiro interjected, "You were there for maybe an hour. Then I bailed you out."

"Oooh," Pidge murmured, "What did you do?"

"He stole my car," Shiro laughed. "And he tried to drive away despite only being eleven."

"My offense may have been minor," Keith told the group, "But I did have to fight and I went out with an explosion."

"No, you didn't," Shiro sighed, rubbing his forehead.

"Shiro, shut up," Keith muttered, "They don't need to know that."

Before Shiro could mess him up any further, Keith walked over to his bike and picked up the helmet. Before putting it on, he realized he needed to remove the princess tiara. Keith smiled slyly.

"Who wants it?" he shouted as he flung the tiara dramatically towards his friends like it was a bridal bouquet.

The only person who dove for the tiara was Lance. He caught it triumphantly. "Hey! This is my nephew's! I don't want to bring it back to him all damaged!"

"Your nephew?" Hunk asked.

"Yeah," Lance smiled. "He likes to play rescue the princess where I'm a big dragon who rescues him and flies him around on my back."

Keith smiled, thinking about how good of an uncle Lance would be. The thought of him playing with his nephews and nieces caused Keith to feel almost… warm inside.

But that was ridiculous.

Keith shook his head and put on his helmet, deciding that he would leave the group as dramatically as possible.

He didn't look in front of him as he revved the engine a time or two and then took a last glance to where everyone was. Allura and Hunk both looked excited and yet worried. Pidge was grinning smugly. Shiro looked apprehensive, Matt was looking mainly at Keith but occasionally throwing glance back towards Shiro.

And then Keith looked at Lance. Lance was giving him a sideways smile and a small nod.

Keith started going and gave the group a two finger salute before heading off towards the edge of the cliff.

He began to build up speed, pushing the motorcycle and racing towards the edge of the cliff. Right as he went over, the motorcycle left the ground and landed with a thump a moment later. Keith was hurtling down the side, weaving in and out of rocks.

It reminded him of when he and Shiro used to go riding their motorcycles around.

Keith wasn't afraid of these rocks in the slightest. He put on speed, going faster and faster. _Left. Right. Right. Left. Right. Left_ on and on he went until he was nearing the bottom of the cliff.

On his left, Keith saw a slightly raised rock. A terrible idea popped into his head. Keith smiled and turned sharply towards the rock, traveling up it like a ramp until he he reached the end and was once again airborne.

He tilted his weight to the side and forced the bike into an 180 turn.

The wheels hit the ground, casting up a thick cloud of dust and dirt in front of Keith. He had to fight the motorcycle from capsizing.

Thankfully, he managed to stay on. He looked up at the group still on top of the inclined cliff. Keith raised a fist triumphantly and he heard a faint series of whoops and calls from on top of the cliff.

Keith smiled, genuinely smiled.

Ascending the cliff was slower and not nearly as interesting as the descent had been but Keith eventually made it to the top with a soft hop and a solid thump in the dusted ground.

"HUZZAH FOR PRINCESS KEITH!" Lance shouted over everyone's cheers.

"I'm proud of you, Keith," Shiro told him, as Keith put the motorcycle into park and stood up from it, removing his helmet and placing it on the handles. "You survived."

"You are officially apart of the Cult of D&D weirdos," Matt told him.

"It was a pretty epic jump," Pidge admitted.

"'Pretty epic?'" Hunk questioned. "It was terrifyingly spectacular."

"Thank you?" Keith responded but he couldn't help but smile at the group.

"That turn that you did at the bottom was really neat," Allura told him. "

Keith shrugged. "It wasn't that hard."

"I know it took you weeks to master," Shiro smiled.

"And how long did it take you?" Keith asked, a faint smirk playing on his lips.

Shiro shrugged, "A week? It wasn't that easy."

At that moment, Keith's right arm was yanked violently from where he had crossed his arm across his chest. He spun around with the momentum to find Lance smiling at him, holding his wrist in his hand. His smile wasn't teasing or cocky like Lance's smiles usually were. This one was softer, more genuine. It relaxed his eyes and showed his dimples.

 _Lance has dimples?_ Keith wondered.

"Good job, Mullet," Lance said in a softer voice. He was still holding onto Keith's wrist.

Then his face twisted back into its usual obnoxious smirk. "I mean," he said with that sly smile and teasing tone that were so _Lance_. "Adequate job, Princess Mullet."

Lance let go of Keith's wrist and instantly Keith's arm felt colder. He watched as Lance reached for the tiara which he had placed on his own head, and pulled it off.

"My fair Princess Keith," he said dramatically bowing his head and presenting the tiara upon the palms of his outstretched hands. "I would like to bestow upon you this tiara to show and complete your initiation into the royal keep of the D&D geeks."

Keith had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing. This was just too good.

Lance stood up slowly and, with his head still bowed, he declared, "I present thee with thy tiara, Princess Keith!" And with that he tilted his head up, a soft smirk playing on his lips as he reached up to Keith's head.

Lance brushed some of Keith's longer hairs back behind his ears and off of his forehead with a gentle finger. Keith couldn't help but shiver at his touch.

Then Lance slipped the tiara onto Keith's head, slipping it beneath his hair so that it hugged his skull.

When he was done, Keith had to look away. His face felt hot. His palms felt clammy.

 _Oh god,_ was he _blushing?_

Keith glanced back at Lance to see that he was smiling softly with his head bowed and his cheeks a faint pink, though Keith swore he imagined that.

"Fantastic," Pidge shouted. "Now I have even more film content to use."

"What are you even gathering film for?" Allura asked.

"A 'ah, remember all of those great blackmail moments / times I used blackmail to get you guys to do stupid shit' video."

"So," Hunk said, walking up to Lance and Keith and placing a hand on each of their shoulders, "How was it?"

Keith took a moment to answer because he suddenly realized that he and Lance were still standing within a foot of each other. Lance must have noticed, too, because he refused to look at Keith and seemed to look like he was pulling away from Hunk. Keith was trying to do the same.

But he also wanted to taunt Lance with the action. A part of him wanted to step closer just to make the egotistical idiot squirm.

However, Keith was just as anxious to take a step back, so he merely turned to Hunk and ducked downwards to evade Hunk's grasp.

"I mean," Keith said indifferently, "I've jumped off of more vertical and higher cliffs than this, so this was nothing."

"Still more hardcore than sneaking in to Iverson's office though," Hunk told him.

"True, that's a leisurely part of routine," Keith deadpanned.

"I cannot tell if you are joking," Allura commented, shaking her head.

"I think he is," Pidge speculated, "But I can't be sure."

They all turned their heads after hearing a loud pop from behind them. Matt had just opened a bottle of wine for the three adults able to drink.

"Bro…" Pidge whispered, "That's so not cool…."

Keith sighed, "I don't know, I've seen Shiro drunk and it is… interesting. I don't think I want to try drinking."

"Well, I can't wait," Lance said. "My grandpa let me try a swig of his beer when I was like twelve but that stuff was so nasty I had to practically disinfect my mouth with a pound of toothpaste."

"Are you kidding?" Keith asked, "I mean… first of all, why would that make you _want_ to try drinking? And Second: who lets a twelve year old drink beer?"

"Well… from what I've been told, he didn't expect that I would like it," Lance said, laughing softly to himself, his eyes downcast in a way that made Keith think he was reliving the memory. "And he was right, the stuff tasted _awful_."

"So then why drink it?" Hunk asked.

"Because I want to try it again," Lance said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Duh."

"That makes zero sense, Lance." Keith breathed.

"But I want to just walk into my Grandpa's house, chug a beer, and then leave," Lance told him. "I have to do so out of spite. He ruined my dreams of alcohol so I had to make new ones."

"Again, that makes zero sense."

"Plus," Lance said looking at Keith out of the corner of his eye, "I could then try other types of alcohol. Wine, rum, whiskey… the list goes on."

"That's true," Allura said, "I personally like those really good whiskeys. But I'll take a wine any day." She stood up and stretched, leaning backwards. "Speaking of which, I'm going to go grab a glass and then head out. Goodbye everyone! Good job, Keith! I can't wait to see you for D&D Wednesday."

Everyone nodded and said goodbye to her and then went back to their conversations.

"Guys, do you remember how we made Lance dress up like a cat to do his initiation?" Hunk asked everyone.

Pidge snorted, "Of course I do! I have the photographic evidence to prove it!"

"You did _what_?" Keith asked Lance.

"Um," he muttered, "Yeah, so they bought me this blue cat onesie with a hood that had ears on it and short curly tail on the back, and they told me that I had to wear it when I snuck in to get a pen so that's what I did."

"Wow," Keith said. "I can't believe they made you wear that."

"He wore it for the whole day, no less," Pidge smirked.

"Wow," Keith murmured, "Do you still have the outfit?" he asked.

"Well… yeah," Lance said, shrugging. "Why wouldn't I? I wear it for my nieces and nephews sometimes and they love it."

Once again Keith got that weird feeling in his stomach. He didn't like it. And yet he wanted to go inside Lance's house. He wanted to see his family. He wanted to see what it was like when Lance was there.

"So, Pidge," Keith said to change the subject, "What was _your_ breaking and entering like?"

"Me? I'm one of the founders of this group so we didn't have any costumes or anything. I just slipped in and out and it wasn't a big deal."

"That's lame," Lance sighed. "Hunk, your turn."

Hunk sighed. "I had to wear dog ears and I almost knocked over both his desk and his pile of books that was by the entry door. If I had, the noise would have gotten me caught so I'm really glad I didn't."

"Impressive…" Keith said, leaning back onto his bike. Keith looked out over the cliff's edge to where the remaining tendrils of red light were fading into the horizon in a wash of indigo blue.

"How do you go so fast?" Lance whispered, suddenly materializing next to Keith.

" _God_ , Lance!" Keith cried, startled. "Don't _do_ that."

"What?" Lance asked innocently, shrugging as he leaned against the seat of the motorcycle.

Keith shook his head. "To answer your previous question, it is just like how a car can go fast… I'm just on a motorcycle."

Keith looked up to see that Pidge and Hunk had headed to the drink table to grab sodas for all of the minors. Shiro and Matt were no where that Keith could see.

That left Lance practically alone with Keith.

"That's cool," Lance told Keith. He had such a nice smile when he wasn't teasing or making sly comments.

Keith could see one of his dimples as he gave Keith a sideways smile.

Keith noticed how his hair was rustling slightly in the breeze. He noticed how relaxed Lance seemed, with his hands casually in his pockets as he leaned up against Keith's motorcycle.

The faint remaining sunlight seemed to illuminate his face in a wonderful way. His eyes just seemed to glow in the light.

Keith tore his head away. He would _not_ be caught thinking about Lance like that.

They weren't even friends.

Keith didn't need to be friends with Lance.

He didn't want to be apart of Lance's life in such a close way.

He didn't want to talk about personal things with Lance and actually open up to him.

He didn't want to be close to Lance.

There was no way that he wanted to be in any kind of _relationship_ with him.

He didn't want to hold Lance.

He didn't want to hold Lance's hand.

He didn't want to… kiss… Lance….

 _No!_ Keith chastised himself. _No, goddammit! You are_ not _getting a crush on the absolute most annoying person in the entire planet._

 _It is just not going to happen._

There was no way that he would ever love Lance McClain.

Matt~

Matt walked up to Shiro and handed him a small glass of red wine.

"Well he did it," Matt said, handing Shiro the glass.

"Yeah, I suppose he did," Shiro murmured, taking a sip of the drink. "Doesn't mean that it doesn't worry me and give me more grey hair though."

Matt chuckled lightly, taking a drink of his own cup of wine.

Shiro took another drink and paused to stare into the liquid, "Wait? Is this wine?" He asked.

"No," Matt said. "It's grape juice."

Shiro rolled his eyes. "Oh, of course. My bad." He held the glass out to Matt as though he wanted him to take the glass back.

"Come on Shiro," Matt said lightly, "You can take one cup of wine. You aren't going to die."

Shiro scowled, "Yeah… but I don't usually remember everything that happens and I don't like that."

"Don't worry," Matt laughed softly, "I'll keep Pidge from torturing you."

"Oh, thank you," Shiro said sarcastically, "How do I know that you won't let Keith torture me?"

Matt smiled, "I won't let anyone torture you."

Shiro took another drink of his wine. "Alright. One glass."

"One glass," Matt agreed.

Shiro looked at the group of their friends, all together and talking quietly. "Do you remember your initiation?" Shiro asked.

"Yeah," Matt said, starting to walk slowly with Shiro next to him. "I was super stealthy getting into Iverson's office but then I tripped and knocked over his desk."

"Did he find you?" Shiro asked, snorting with laughter. Matt couldn't help but wish he could hear more of that laughter. It sounded so pure and full of life.

"No, no he didn't," Matt said. "Surprisingly, he wasn't around to hear the crash so I grabbed the pen and ran back to my friends to show them the pen and hide from the guards."

"Has Iverson ever called you out or asked who was in his office?"

"Nope," Matt sighed contentedly, "I guess I just got lucky. Your time in his office was pure gold though."

Shiro smiled, nodding along. "Yeah! You're right. I just knocked on the door and walked in and asked Iverson for a pen."

"Um, Mr. Iverson… sir?" Matt said in a mock pretentious voice, "I was… um… wondering if I could borrow a… um, pen… Sir?"

"Why sure," Shiro joined, imitating Principal Iverson by standing erect and closing one of his eyes. "May I ask the reason?"

"Um…" Matt added, "I, uh, just needed a pen. Thank you, sir."

Shiro laughed. "Yeah, that was pretty great."

Matt smiled, laughing quietly himself. He loved Shiro laugh.

Curious, Matt leaned over and looked into Shiro's cup. It was nearly empty.

Matt wondered if he could get Shiro drunk. He knew that was horrible but it didn't take much alcohol and if he was drunk, then maybe Matt could get the courage to flirt with him.

Eh, he'd have to drink more himself to do that, but it could work.

He subtly altered his course to where the bottle of wine was by their other friends.

"What are the others drinking?" Shiro asked suddenly.

Matt laughed softly. He wouldn't be surprised if Pidge or Keith had somehow managed to get a couple drinks of wine but nothing was that strong for them to drink. "Eh, I brought some sodas. Dr. Pepper, Fanta, stuff like that."

"Okay," Shiro said, nodding.

Matt grabbed the bottle of wine and refilled his own cup and then turned to Shiro's and poured some in. Miraculously, Shiro didn't object.

Smiling at his ninja skills, Matt turned and walked up to Keith with Shiro in tow.

"That was epic, Keith," Matt commended. "Great job."

Keith snorted, "Well, it was a lot more difficult than your usual initiation."

Matt rubbed his head sheepishly, "Yeah well…"

"You did say that you sneak into Iverson's office all of the time, right? Why?" Lance asked

"Um yeah?" Keith said. "What else did you expect me to do when I forgot a pen or something?"

"Maybe ask someone to borrow a pen?" Hunk suggested.

"Nah, too social," Keith shrugged. "And too much effort."

"But…" Hunk murmured, "You only have to ask 'Could I borrow a pen?' Literally that's it."

"But what if they say no?" Keith asked like he was asking 'what is life?'

"You would get into so much less trouble though," Lance said. "I mean… what would you do if Iverson caught you?"

"I don't know. Leave I guess."

"But…. what if the person you are asking for a pen says yes?" Lance theorized

"Realistically, what are the chances of that?" Keith asked.

"Very high," Hunk said.

"Well," Lance said pensively. "I have been rejected for pens plenty of times so…"

"See!" Keith cried. "This is my point. Lance is way better at… people," He gestured like he was talking about a vague concept, "than I am. So if he was rejected, then I don't stand a chance. Plus, Iverson's office is just so much easier."

"Why would you risk being caught though?" Hunk asked.

"I never said I was good at planning. And the adrenaline rush of sneaking past Iverson and maybe getting caught is always good to keep me awake for a bit."

Lance shook his head.

Matt turned back from the conversation to face Shiro. He saw that Shiro had finished another cup of wine and Matt decided to fill it again. One more should do the trick.

"Hey," Matt said excitedly, "Do you want to go look at the cliff edge with me? There's a bench we can sit at there…"

"Sure!" Shiro said enthusiastically.

"GUYS!" Pidge shouted behind them. "I'm gonna climb on top of this car and try to land on Keith's motorcycle!"

"Even better," Keith said, "I'll be driving it slowly."

"YES!" Pidge shouted.

Matt looked at Shiro, expecting him to to be panicking over the team's antics, but he was staring placantly at them.

"Shouldn't you be worried?" Matt asked.

Shiro shrugged. "No matter what I tell them, it won't change anything."

"Okay," Matt said, trying to hide his smile as they walked towards the cliff edge.

Matt sat down first on the bench and Shiro sat next to him, but instead of sitting a fair distance away, like Matt had been expecting, Shiro sat next to him. Like _right_ next to him. Matt would bump into him if he moved at all.

He had to duck his head to hide his blush. He was sure that his eyes were wide in surprise and that his face was bright red.

"The sunset is so pretty," Shiro said, looking at the horizon in front of them.

"What sunset?" Matt laughed, the sun had set about twenty minutes ago. "All I see are stars…" he looked at Shiro as he said it. His eyes just shone so brightly despite the lack of light.

Shiro sighed, "But those can't be the stars," he pointed at the horizon. "You are."

Matt opened his mouth in surprise. He knew he was flushed bright red. He didn't even know what to say. Shiro was looking at him.

Shiro had… had hit on him.

And his eyes were gleaming. As he looked at Matt's.

"I can see the stars in your eyes," Shiro continued, his words sounding slightly slurred.

 _Right_ , Matt told himself, _He's just drunk_.

Still, Matt wanted to brush those silvery-white bangs off of his forehead. He wanted to lean closer to Shiro.

Was Shiro leaning closer to him?

"Freckles," Shiro giggled.

"What?" Matt managed to squeak out.

"I never noticed before… but you have freckles across your nose."

He was definitely leaning closer. Matt could feel his heart beating so fast he thought it was going to burst from his chest. His breath was quick and shallow.

Shiro reached out and touched Matt's nose with one finger, gently, tracing across whatever speckles covered his face.

The touch sent an electric jolt down Matt's spine.

What was he doing?

Shiro was so close.

"They look like stars," Shiro murmured softly.

So close.

Matt was holding his breath. He couldn't speak.

Could he feel Shiro's breath on his face? Were they that close?

Shiro hummed softly, his hand moving to the side of Matt's face to cup it in his hand. His thumb brushed over Matt's cheek.

Matt felt frozen. His brain was caught on repeat like a broken record. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know what Shiro was doing.

Should he go with it?

No.

No he shouldn't.

Shiro was drunk.

He wasn't in his right mind.

Even if he was being the most adorable idiot in the world.

If he was in his right mind, he would never say those kinds of things. He wouldn't want anything to do with Matt. He wouldn't want to be close to him like this.

Matt swallowed and was once more paralyzed. Shiro's face was a mere few inches from his own.

It would take nothing.

No effort for Matt to lean forward and press his lips to Shiro's.

He could kiss Shiro and he knew that Shiro would go along with it.

But he couldn't.

Shiro… the not-drunk Shiro wouldn't go along with it.

Matt blinked his eyes, finally able to move.

Reluctantly, he started to turn his head to the side, away from Shiro.

Suddenly, Shiro's head fell onto Matt's shoulder. Matt immediately stiffened.

Shiro was… chuckling?

"I was falling into the stars!" He laughed.

Matt couldn't laugh though, his mind too wrapped up in questions. What did that mean? What did Shiro's actions from the whole night mean? Was it all just a joke?

"You know," Shiro said, not moving his head from Matt's shoulder but just turning his head so he could look at Matt, "I think I could jump off of this cliff better than Keith."

Matt paused, trying to process what Shiro had just said.

"What?" he asked finally, softly.

Shiro sat up and stood up from the bench. "My time has come. I must prove that Master is better than Apprentice."

Shiro stood, facing Matt with his head facing the rest of their group and his hands on his hips in a Peter-Pan stance.

"I hear my calling," Shiro yelled and then charged out to where their friends were, laughing the whole way.

"SHIRO!" Matt called tearing after him. He couldn't help but smile as he chased Shiro, trying, and failing, to catch up.

Shiro got into camp and charged towards Keith's bike which was parked not far away from where the team was talking.

"HI Keith!" Shiro said as he donned the helmet and got onto the motorcycle. "I need this."

"What?" Keith asked turning around and looking confused.

Shiro started maniacally laughing as he took off down the pathway.

"Don't ask," Matt said, breathless.

"He's going to do the jump," Pidge said. "Shit. I have to film this _now_."

"He took my bike though?" Keith asked.

Lance put a hand on his shoulder. "I know how you feel, buddy. I'm often the third wheel too."

"What?" Keith asked Lance, trying to make sense of what he said.

"I don't know _what the fuck is happening_ but LOOK!" Pidge shouted, their camera on and facing where Shiro was doing tight loops on the ground, creating a cloud of dirt and dust.

Suddenly, Shiro diverted from his loops and took off towards the cliff edge. Matt was pretty sure he heard Shiro yelling "YEEEEET!" the whole time but he couldn't be sure.

"Did he?" Pidge asked.

"Yes," Keith affirmed.

They all ran to the edge to watch Shiro as he raced down. Matt was awed at how fast he was going. At how he was weaving in and out of the rocks so easily. Keith had been good… but Shiro was _flawless_.

Matt watched as Shiro zipped towards a large rock, climbing it to lift off into the air. The motorcycle left the rock's edge and Shiro was flying out in empty space.

"Oh god," Hunk whispered.

Matt could distantly hear him yelling "FUCK MY LIFE!" as he performed a 180 flip on the motorcycle and managed a perfect landed backwards, facing the team.

Pidge and Lance burst into laughter.

"Yeet!" Pidge yelled, "Fantasy Dad is schooling us!"

Keith cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled "STOP IT YOU FUCKING SHOW OFF!"

Matt could almost feel the cocky grin that he knew adorned Shiro's face.

And then he was off again, zipping _up_ the cliff this time.

"GUYS!" Hunk, the only one concerned with safety, yelled, "Shiro's coming up fast. We have to get out of the way."

"Nah," Pidge said. "I want this action shot."

Hunk grabbed them by their collar and dragged them to the side followed by Lance and Keith and Matt. Though Keith and Matt had walked willingly.

The bike reached the top and Shiro was once again thrust up into the air. This time, Matt could clearly hear him as he screamed "FUCK THE SYSTEM I AM INVINCIBLE!"

"You can be anything you wish to be," Pidge said with a laugh.

"I don't think he can be invincible," Hunk said slowly.

Shiro crashed back to the ground with the bike, _somehow_ landing perfectly.

That made him even more amazingly perfect in Matt's opinion.

"I think he's doing a pretty good job at living," Pidge said.

"GREAT JOB, SHIRO!" Matt yelled.

"GO DAD!" Lance chorused.

"Yep, Fantasy Dad did great," Pidge agreed.

"ENCORE!" Lance shouted. "GO AGAIN. DO A FLIP."

Shiro looked at them, "Again? Alright! Sure. Why not? I love experiencing death!"

Before they could protest, he got back onto the bike and took off down the cliff again screaming the whole way.

"Damn," Lance whispered.

"SHIRO! DON'T YOU DARE CRASH MY BIKE!" Keith shouted.

"What about Shiro's life?" Hunk asked.

"Just believe in his invincibility," Pidge said.

"Yeah, he does stupid shit all of the time and is just fine," Keith grumbled. "But my bike…"

"The bike will be fine," Matt said. "Just look at how fine Shiro is."

Shiro was screaming more as he executed a perfect front over back flip and managed to land on the wheels. "YEET I CAN'T DIE!" Shiro screamed.

"YES YOU CAN!" Hunk screamed back. "PLEASE BE SAFE."

"Fuck safety," Pidge said. "Look at how much fun he is having."

"Yeah, shit," Lance said. "I can't wait to get drunk. It seems like so much fun."

"I do _not_ want to know what you would be like drunk," Keith muttered.

"Aw, but I might get cuddly?" Lance wrapped an arm around Keith, leaning into him. "Or I might realize that I hate you."

Keith shied out of Lance's grip, scowling. "Exactly. It would be awful."

"I think you mean awesome," Lance corrected.

"No, I don't."

At that moment, Shiro appeared in front of them, landing with a cloud of dust after performing another perfect flip.

Matt wanted to yell how in love he was at that moment.

"OFF!" Keith yelled. "NO more beating me."

"Well he _was_ better," Matt said.

"Matt, fuck off," Keith growled, "He's been driving a motorcycle for years and he is drunk. I'm not."

"Shiro! You did great!" Lance yelled.

"Off," Keith demanded. "Bike needs a rest."

"But I haven't crashed yet," Shiro whined.

"Quit while you're ahead." Pidge said.

"Is your bike named Bike?" Lance asked.

"Yes," Keith said defiantly as he grabbed the helmet out of Shiro's hands and let it hang on the handle bars.

"Are you kidding me?" Lance snorted. "We can think of _something_ better."

"Bike is a sufficient name for a bike," Keith said.

"I guess if you were four and had the brain of a kindergartener?" Lance argued. "Please. Let's name the bike something cool like Firestorm or Lightning!"

"No," Keith said blatantly.

"What about Nebulous or Kosmo or something," Lance suggested.

"Kosmo the bike," Hunk said with meek enthusiasm.

"Yes!" Pidge agreed. "Kosmo the bike!"

Matt shook his head, laughing at the antics of his friends. He wanted to join in on their antics but he was more distracted and focused on Shiro. Shiro was smiling and stumbling away from the bike. He tripped on a rock and fell forward.

Without thinking, Matt stumbled forward and caught him.

"You okay Shiro?" Matt asked softly.

"Yep!" Shiro said loudly. "I'm great."

Matt stood him up, trying not to focus on their points of contact.

When Shiro tried to take another step, he fell forward again. Matt caught him and laughed softly. "Shiro… you only had three cups of wine!"

"L-low battery!" Shiro said in an imitation of Baymax from Big Hero 6.

Matt laughed, holding Shiro up with him. "Alright. I'll take you home."

"Ch-charging…. Charging station."

"Fine. I'll take you to your charging station you big idiot. I can't believe you can do perfect flips on a motorcycle but you can't even walk in a straight line."

"Matt," Shiro said, gripping his shoulder to stare into his eyes, "You should know that I don't 'straight'."

What.

 _What?_

 _No,_ Matt told himself _, He's just joking. He's drunk and joking_.

Matt would not get his hopes up. He wouldn't think that everything would work out because _it wouldn't._ He knew that. He knew he wasn't destined to have anything great happen for him.

So this was just a messed up moment in the universe. The universe making fun of him. Yet again.

He really wished he could properly insult the universe and be like _"Fuck you Universe. You suck!"_

"Let's just get you home," Matt told Shiro instead.

"HEY KEITH!" He yelled.

"Yeah?" Keith yelled back.

"Shiro's wasted so I'm taking him back to your place okay?"

"Yeah, sounds good," Keith called.

"BYE FANTASY MOTORBIKE DAD!" Lance yelled.

"Thanks for the blackmail!" Pidge siad.

Shiro's face twisted in confusion, "But Pidge… it isn't blackmail because it is cool and it happened."

Pidge laughed, "You aren't going to think that tomorrow."

"Tomorrow is already in the past," Shiro grumbled. "Look to the bright new present."

"What?" Hunk asked.

"Don't question," Keith said. "Just don't. I tried to once and it didn't end well."

Matt waved goodbye to them one last time, slightly concerned with leaving without proper adult supervision, "NO ONE LEAVE THIS AREA WITHOUT HUNK OR WITH THE INTENT TO HEAD HOME."

Matt could hear a chorus of affirmations. That was satisfying enough. They would _probably_ be okay.

Matt stumbled with Shiro towards the car that he knew Shiro had driven. As he tried to get Shiro to sit inside, Shiro shouted "WHeeeee!" in a fairly good Baymax impression.

Matt started driving and, at first, Shiro was quiet. Probably lost in thought. Matt didn't complain though because it gave him a change to _exist_ next to Shiro. He knew they would never be together… but it was nice to dream.

"Matt?" Shiro whispered quietly, like something was wrong.

"What is it?" Matt said, concern edging into his voice.

"Why did he have to die?"

"Excuse me?" Matt asked. Who had died? What was going on? Was everything okay?

"He was so brave when he ran back into that building."

"Who?" Matt asked, genuinely concerned.

"Tadashi…" Shiro whimpered. Matt glanced over at him and saw tears on the edge of his eyes.

"From Big Hero 6?"

"Yes!" Shiro cried. "He died! And he is so much like me! I relate deeply and he died, Matt."

Matt smiled. "Yeah, you do remind me of Tadashi."

"I KNOW! And Keith is Hiro. When I watched that in theatres I _CRIED_." Shiro had tears streaming down the side of his face. Matt wanted so, _so_ desperately to wipe them off.

"Tadashi dying ripped a hole in my heart. A _HOLE_ , Matt!" Shiro shouted, clenching his fists, tears still coming out of his eyes.

"I know," Matt tried to say.

"But we didn't even get to _know_ him!" Shiro cried in outrage.

"We got those first few scenes?"

"That is _nothing_. How are we supposed to care for him without any screen time? Matt, when he came on, I had high hopes. And those hopes were _crushed._ They were crushed like my soul!"

Matt slowed at a red light and put the car into park. No one was around anyway.

"Shiro… I'm sorry," Matt told him, leaning over and wrapping his arms around Shiro. Shiro relaxed into Matt's hold quickly. "Tadashi was a great character and it wasn't fair that he had to die so soon."

"I know!" Shiro said softly. "It really wasn't. And it hurt."

Matt patted his back, pressing his face into Shiro's shoulder. Shiro was just so warm and comforting.

"Matt… the light is green."

"Oh," Matt said, drawing back away from Shiro and putting the car into drive. He started going slowly.

"Thank you for sharing in my pain, Matt," Shiro said. "I'm really grateful to have such a good… friend like you."

Matt wondered why he hesitated before saying 'friend.' What _was_ Matt to Shiro? Was he something else? A brother?

Matt didn't dare hope that Shiro could be thinking romantically. Matt wasn't that lucky, and he knew that it wouldn't work out that well for him.

Plus… other people were the ones who got happy endings.

Other people were the ones who got the dates. The ones who were out like Lance and Keith. Matt still couldn't bring himself to even start to decipher how he felt. He only knew he had a _stupid stupid_ crush on Shiro.

"Um…" Matt stuttered, "I'm, uh, glad to have you as a friend as well."

Shiro leaned over and rested his head on Matt's shoulder, despite the fact that Matt was driving and _couldn't deal_ with that.

"Shiro!" Matt spluttered. "I'm driving!"

Shiro groaned but sat back upright. Thankfully. "But Ma _tt…_ you are so warm and cuddly."

Matt flushed bright red but continued on, keeping his eyes determinedly on the road in front of them.

"I just want to hug you!" Shiro whined.

Matt didn't know what to say. Thankfully, they were pulling into Shiro and Keith's apartment complex so Matt didn't have to answer directly.

"I'll help you up the stairs and get settled in before I leave," Matt told Shiro opening the door like a chauffeur for him to exit the car.

Shiro got out and they had started walking towards the stairs when Shiro draped his arms around Matt and squeezed his body close to Matt. "So warm," he whispered.

"S-S-SHIRO!" Matt stuttered, his voice cracking as he tried to leap away. Shiro only tightened his grip.

"Maaatttttt, my heart is cold and dead. I need warmth."

"I have to climb the stairs!"

"I will be behind you! Or you could carry me."

Matt laughed nervously, "I cannot carry you. Not up stairs."

Shiro pouted.

Then his arms moved from around Matt. Matt turned around in confusion and then suddenly he wasn't on the ground anymore. Shiro had picked him up.

Shiro had _picked him up_.

Matt was being carried like a princess.

A fucking princess.

"SHIRO!" he yelled. "What are you doing?"

"Holding the warmth close to my heart," Shiro said simply.

Matt's face was bright red. For one, he was embarrassed that Shiro could pick him up. For another, he didn't trust drunk Shiro going up stairs while carrying him. And finally, he felt _waaaay_ too intimate with Shiro.

"Shiro, please put me down?" Matt didn't know if he did or did not want to be put down.

"But… one flight of stairs?" Shiro pleaded.

His face was so close to Matt's. His eyes were pleading with Matt. He was just too adorable. Matt had to nod. He didn't have choice.

"Yes!" Shiro yelled taking off up the stairs. Matt grabbed onto Shiro and clung to him, terror wracking through his body.

But he also felt safe. He was in Shiro's arms and Shiro had no intention of letting him go. He had no intention of letting Matt get hurt.

Matt found he was smiling.

Through his cries of terror…

When they reached the first landing, Shiro set Matt down gently. Matt grabbed his shoulder to get his footing.

"See?" Shiro whispered, "Wasn't that fun?"

Matt laughed lightly, "Yeah. It was fun. In a terrifying way. Is that what it feels like to ride the motorcycle?"

"Eh, yeah?" Shiro said. "Sort of like that just a lot different in how fast it is…. I could take you for a ride sometime though?"

He phrased it like a question and Matt couldn't help but think that Shiro was asking him out of a date. But that was absurd.

"Um… sure?" Matt agreed hoping he didn't' sound too nervous.

Shiro smiled from ear to ear. "Yay! I can't wait!" He said excitedly.

Matt smiled back and chuckled lightly. "Let's get you home, you adorable idiot."

"Okay," Shiro said in a much too happy voice. Yet it was still adorable in Matt's opinion.

They climbed the rest of the steps and Matt took the key from Shiro so that it wouldn't take them three years to open the locked door.

Matt had been to Shiro's house a couple times before when they were studying or just hanging out… but he had never been over at 9:30 at night and with Shiro while he was drunk. Everything felt so weird. So out of place. Like Matt shouldn't be there. Like he was invading in Shiro's house.

Shiro spun around with his arms outstretched and said "So this is my house where I have all of my things. It's where I eat and sleep… and live…."

"Shiro," Matt laughed, "You sound like you are six!"

"Aren't I?"

"That you are," Matt smiled. "Now let's get you to bed!"

"I'm almost seven though!"

"Five more months and fourteen days." _Wait._ Matt hadn't meant to say that. It wasn't like he kept track of Shiro's birthday or anything weird like that? His seventh birthday was just a big deal!

Matt dragged him to his room and told him to go brush his teeth. "Aw… okay." Shiro had grumbled, pouting like he really was six.

Matt was starting to wish that he had brought his phone up so he could record Shiro. But… at the same time, the experience itself was good enough of memories.

Matt stayed, leaning against the wall, while Shiro brushed his teeth. After he was done brushing his teeth, Matt left the room so Shiro could change to go to sleep. A part of Matt just wanted to crash on the couch… The part of him that wanted to take care of Shiro when he was hungover in the morning. The part of him that wanted to hold him close and keep smiling and laughing with him.

"Alright," Shiro called and Matt entered again. He found Shiro wearing a Big Hero 6 T-shirt with everyone on the front of it. The pajama pants he was wearing matched the shirt with little waving Baymax-es covering them.

Matt laughed, "Of course you would have Big Hero 6 Pajamas."

"Shh… These are special. Don't tell anyone." Shiro said, sounding so concerned about Matt telling.

"I _promise_ I won't tell."

"Yay," Shiro sighed.

Matt half wanted Shiro to be holding a stuffed Baymax toy like he was going to hug it to sleep.

Shiro looked at Matt and said softly, "Would you tuck me in?"

"What?" Matt balked. "Shiro, you know you aren't really six, right?"

"Just come over here!" Shiro said.

Matt walked over to where Shiro was laying in his bed and said sarcastically, "Okay? What do you want? A goodnight kiss?"

"Yes."

"No… wait. I was joking," Matt panicked.

"But… I need my warmth."

"What?" Matt asked, confused as to what Shiro was saying. And then he watched as Shiro sat up and pulled Matt towards him, wrapping his arms around Matt almost protectively.

"Timber!" Shiro yelled as he fell backwards with Matt next to him.

"There we go!" Shiro said, laying back down with Matt still in his arms.

Matt couldn't see Shiro's face, but he could feel the tight grip that he had on Matt.

Matt couldn't even believe what was happening.

It wouldn't register in his brain for a minute… and then it hit him.

Shiro was hugging _him_ as he fell asleep.

Shiro. Hugging.

No, no, Matt wouldn't be the stuffed animal that Shiro could hug. He had to get home. Shiro couldn't wake up to find that he had been holding Matt.

"Shiro!" Matt spluttered, "You— what are you doing?"

"You are my warmth!" Shiro replied calmly, sleepily. "I love my warmth."

Matt closed his eyes, swallowing. He tried to ignore the fact that drunk Shiro had basically just said he loved Matt. "Shiro, you need to let _me_ go home to sleep."

"Sleep here," Shiro sighed.

"No!" Matt yelped. "I have to go to my home."

Shiro didn't respond.

"Shiro?"

"Mmh?" Shiro mumbled.

"Please, let me go so I can sleep?"

Shiro just sighed and nestled his head into the back of Matt's head.

"Shiro?"

Matt could hear and feel soft breaths escaping Shiro's lips.

He was asleep.

Matt was stuck. If he moved too forcefully, he would wake Shiro up but Shiro's grip was too strong to be able to just weasel out of.

So Matt stayed. He refused to fall asleep but he stayed. He stared at the wall, scowling the whole time.

Shiro was behind him.

He was basically spooning Matt.

And Matt couldn't do a thing.

He was stuck.

He could feel Shiro's every movement as he would nestle his head down into his pillow or twist himself around slightly, still always holding onto Matt.

Matt wanted to leave. He felt _way_ too intimate. He felt like he shouldn't be there.

Which he knew he shouldn't.

But… Shiro wanted him there.

Drunk Shiro.

Flirtatious Shiro.

 _Ugh!_ Matt thought, _Why does he have to be like this?_

He could feel Shiro's soft breaths that escaped from his nose. They rustled the hairs on Matt's neck.

Matt started to count the seconds until he was able to be free. He didn't know when Keith would be back— probably pretty late— but he figured that was the best time to escape. Keith could help extricate Matt.

 _Please come home, Keith_.

Finally, Matt heard the door open. " _KEITH,_ " Matt hissed.

"Who's there?" Keith asked suspiciously. "If you are anyone other than Mothman then I have four knives and I am NOT afraid to use them!" His voice softened, "If that is you Mothman… then will you marry me?"

Matt was stunned. "Keith… What the actual fuck?"

"Oh. It's you." Keith said, sounding almost disappointed as he walked into Shiro's room.

"Gee, thanks. I see where I stand in your social life. Anyway, get me out of here!" Matt whispered as loudly as he dared.

"Wait. Matt? Why are you here?"Keith asked.

"May I ask why you have four knives?" Matt asked.

"I like knives but… you… and Shiro…"

"Yes!" Matt shouted, "Get—"

"You two are? But…" Keith spluttered, looking all around. "But I thought that Shiro was ace?"

"What?" Matt asked. "I mean… same but… oh." He realized what things must look like. "Keith… no."

"Nope, this is great," Keith said, pulling out his phone and taking pictures of them.

Matt used one of his half imprisoned arms to flip Keith off.

"Now shush and free me! I want to go to sleep!" Matt cried out.

"But…" Keith said, tapping on his chin. "This is so beautiful and precious."

"If you send that to Pidge….. I swear!"

"Oup. Too late," Keith said.

"Oh great," Matt moaned. "I do not want to suffer the wrath of the Pidgeon. It is not going to be a good time."

"But that's not my problem," Keith countered. "You are in my house and you look like you and Shiro were together tonight. This is fantastic."

"Let me get out of this? Please?" Matt asked.

"Hmm. What do I get in return?" Keith inquired.

Matt didn't know what he could bargain. "Um… I know! I can hack Pidge's phone and transfer the photos to my own phone and then delete them so they won't be able to use those photos against you.

"Hmm. Okay. Deal."

"Yes!" Matt shouted quietly, with excitement. "Free me from this torture!"

"You have to _promise_ to delete all of those pictures though," Keith said to Matt.

"Alright, yes I promise. I just want to get out of Shiro's arms."

"Okay," Keith said grabbing a pillow as he walked over to where Matt and Shiro were. He picked up Shiro's arm and pulled it upwards until Matt could duck out. Keith slipped the pillow into Shiro's grasp and instantly Shiro was hugging it to himself.

" _My god,_ " Matt whispered. "I never realized how standing could be so freeing. I am so glad to be able to stand on my own!"

"Yeah yeah," Keith grumbled. "Now make sure to delete those photos."

"How has Shiro not woken up yet?" Matt asked. "I wouldn't have pegged him to be a heavy sleeper."

"He's not," Keith said. "That's the alcohol."

"He didn't even have that much to drink, though," Matt laughed.

"Yeah, that's Shiro," Keith sighed. "He has zero tolerance. It's really funny but he also won't remember anything that happened."

"He won't?" Matt asked. "I thought he still remembered most everything."

"Nope. It's pretty great."

Matt felt rather relieved. He wouldn't have to worry about Shiro asking him why he had gone along with Shiro when he was trying to get Matt to do weird things, like be princess carried up the stairs.

Matt smiled. He kind of liked that he was the only one who would remember all of the insanity. But that thought also made him kind of sad because he couldn't share these memories with Shiro later.

A part of Matt wished that Keith had never come to free him from Shiro's grip so that Matt had been forced to stay there for the whole night. Matt wanted to be there for Shiro when he woke up. He wanted to be there for hungover Shiro. He wanted to tell stories of what happened while Shiro was drunk. He wanted to stay by Shiro's side.

But he also knew that with Keith, that would be too awkward. He couldn't ask to stay on the couch or anything. He had to go home.

"I should probably be heading back…" Matt trailed off, looking at Shiro.

"Okay," Keith said emotionlessly.

Matt turned around and started walking out the door when he heard "Are those his Baymax Pjs?"

"Yeah?" Matt responded, confused.

Keith whistled low, "Wow. He never wears those in front of other people. Not even with me."

Matt couldn't help but blush, his cheeks heating up as he turned towards the door. Why did Shiro have to be so adorable and so out of Matt's league? Why did he have to be probably straight and not care about Matt like that at all? Matt knew they were great friends but… that was all they would be. Nothing more.

Matt knew that.

And yet it still kind of hurt to leave Shiro's apartment and head home by himself.

Matt walked sullenly down the stairs and got in his car. He just wished that he could tell Shiro all of the things on his mind. But Matt would never have the courage for that.

And he and Shiro would just be friends.

Nothing more.

Pidge~

Pidge had been looking at their phone for the past forty-five minutes when Matt opened the door and walked in.

"Ah," Pidge said, looking up from their phone momentarily, "I see that my brother has returned. How sad. Well, brother, did you have a _fun_ evening?" Pidge winked at him just for good measure.

Matt stopped in his tracks to glare at Pidge. "Pidge," he said, "You know that A: I'm not out. B: I'm ace. And C: that I would never do that."

"And be back so soon," Pidge added.

Matt rolled his eyes and walked into his room, dropping off his bag on his bed. He returned to Pidge and sat down on the floor in front of them. "I need to talk," Matt said.

"Okay, talk." Pidge commanded.

"So…. I'm really gay for Shiro."

"No shit, Sherlock," Pidge rolled their eyes.

"Yeah," Matt sighed, "Well, he's adorable."

"What'd he do?"

"He fucking princess carried me. Up the stairs."

Pidge snorted imagining that. It was surprisingly easy to imagine.

"And… when I was tucking him into bed…" Matt sighed, bowing his head down to hide his very obvious blush.

"Oooh," Pidge breathed quietly. "What happened in the bed?"

"PIDGE!" Matt shouted. "No, just _no!_ "

Pidge raised their hands in surrender and sat back, watching Matt. They had gotten the picture that Keith had sent not too long ago and it was _amazing_. And it was just so much fun teasing him.

"When I was tucking him in," Matt continued, "he grabbed me from behind and pulled me towards him. And then he just cuddled me like I was a pillow or something."

"Interesting," Pidge said, sounding bored.

"Pidge! This is serious!" Matt cried indignantly. "Shiro fucking cuddled me as he fell asleep! I needed Keith to rescue me."

"Because you were in great distress being held by Shiro…" Pidge muttered.

"Yes. I was in gay distress!" Matt told them. "I needed help and I didn't know what to do. Keith saved me from Shiro's grip."

"So… what's the problem? Pidge asked.

"Well the problem is that I am in love with Shiro and yet he's probably straight and he wouldn't want to date his best friend anyway!"

Pidge snorted. _Yeah…. Shiro's as straight as a cooked spaghetti noodle._

"Matt, I'm sure it's not as bad as you are making it out to seem."

"But Pidge! You didn't see the way his granite grey eyes were sparkling in the sunset! You didn't see the way those adorably white bangs rustled in the wind. You didn't see the small smile crinkles that were around his eyes every time he smiled."

"First, that's gay," Pidge commented, "And second, no, I didn't see all of that because I don't have a giant-ass crush on Shiro. You're the one with a crush the size of the sun contained in that small body."

"I'm not that small! I'm taller than you."

Pidge stood up on top of the couch. "Well, now you're not. But, is being taller than me really that much of an accomplishment?"

"I am taller than Keith too," Matt protested.

"Ooh. Such an achievement. I should give you a trophy."

"But seriously, Pidge," Matt said as Pidge flopped back down onto the couch. "What do you think my chances with someone like Shiro are? What do you think Shiro would even do if I asked him out?"

"I think in this case, your chances are pretty high."

"What?" Matt balked. "What makes you say that?"

"Um. Everything about the way he acts around you?" Pidge suggested.

"But he was drunk! What would he be like if I asked him while he was sober?"

Pidge sighed, "Matt. You _do_ realize that alcohol removes how well your brain thinks things through and generally pumps up your courage. So it isn't like Shiro just _decided_ to hug you as he was going to sleep. Sober Shiro would want to and Drunk Shiro just does it."

"What?" Matt asked. "No… no. Shiro doesn't like me… like that. He's out of my league. He's not gay!"

Pidge shook their head. "Matt… the next time you say that I'm heading off to bed. Now, please, just calm down. It sounds to me like nothing really happened."

"But _Everything_ happened!" Matt argued.

"Okay, well," Pidge muttered, "if you aren't going to function, then I'm heading off to bed."

"I'll be functional," Matt said to them.

Pidge nodded. "Okay. So what are you going to do? We all know that Shiro blacks out while drunk so he won't remember a thing. Are you going to tell him?"

"Um… yes? No? I don't know! What should I do?"

"Calm," Pidge said slowly and calmly. "What do _you_ think you should do?"

"I.. I don't think I should tell him. At least not yet. I don't want to make things weird for us."

"Sounds like a sound plan, just do NOT make a mess out of yourself tomorrow. Act completely natural."

Matt sighed, "Alright. I'll do that. Thanks Pidge. I'm going to go to sleep."

"Make sure to journal down everything! I love reading your diary!"

Matt sighed and shook his head, heading into his room.

Pidge smiled. They both hoped that Matt would be able to act normal for his own sake, and that he would make a complete fool out himself.

Knowing Matt, Pidge knew that it would probably be both.

...~~~...

Note: Hiii.

I have two more arts for this fic. If anyone is interested. I would still like to know if I could put them into here directly, but you can find them in this fic's AO3 counterpart, or I'll be uploading them onto my tumblr CouchPunchingKoala fairly soon if anyone is interested.

:) Thank you for reading! Comments and favorites are very appreciated. And there will probably be more actual D&D playing in the next chapter.


	3. Poor Pathetic Shiro

Note: Sorrrrry I'm so late to publishing a new chapter. School is kicking my butt. Anyway, I hope you like it!

* * *

Shiro~

Shiro opened his eyes drearily, blinking as the sharply bright light hit his face.

 _Noo_ , Shiro thought to himself. He didn't want to open his eyes to that horrible light.

"Shiro?" Keith was calling.

"What," Shiro groaned, refusing to open his eyes.

"We should leave in five minutes or so. Are you ready?"

"For what?" Shiro mumbled, too tired to think about what he was doing.

"For school? Y'know…. Don't you have Astronomy today?"

Shiro made himself roll over, squinting to get his eyes opened.

His head was pounding and his stomach felt like it was sloshing with acid… which it was… being a stomach.

He couldn't think.

He rubbed his eyes absently, sitting up yawning. He blinked and ran a hand through his short hair, trying to work up the motivation to stand. He picked up his phone, which was on the bedside table, and clicked it open to check the time.

7:06

 _Shit_. Shiro swore in his head. He bounded to his feet and took two large steps towards his closet to get dressed before his legs gave out on him and he fell flat onto his face with a loud thud.

"Shiro?" he heard Keith yell. "Are you okay in there?"

Shiro didn't respond. His face hurt. His head hurt. Everything hurt.

He heard the door open and turned his head slightly to see Keith standing in the doorway. The hall lights behind Keith were too bright. He closed his eyes to try to settle the pounding in his head.

"Shiro!" Keith said, sounding like he was trying to suppress laughter. "What are you doing on the floor?"

"I died," Shiro grumbled into the carpet, refusing to get up.

Keith didn't make any remarks like Shiro had expected him to, instead he knelt down next to Shiro and offered him his hand. "Hey, buddy. Come on, let's stand you up."

Keith helped Shiro to stand up and held him steady once they were standing.

"I'm not surprised," Keith said with a chuckle, "Matt got you pretty drunk last night."

 _Really_? Shiro thought. The idea surprised him. He had a vague, blurry memory of Matt handing him more wine last night even when he knew he should be done.

"Did…" Shiro started to ask and then decided against the idea. "What happened last night?"

Keith sighed and rubbed the back of his head… "Ummm… well… you got drunk… and then Matt took you… um home…"

Even in Shiro's delirious state, he knew that Keith wasn't telling the full is no way that Pidge and Matt and Lance would have settled for just letting Shiro act a little loopy. Instead they would prompt and force Shiro to act like a lunatic because he wouldn't be opposed to it.

"Keith… what did I do?" Shiro asked seriously.

"Just… I'll just let Pidge show you. That would be way easier."

"What?" Shiro moaned. "Pidge _videoed_ me?"

"I did too but it was a really bad video so I deleted it." Keith stared off at the wall. Shiro was pretty sure that there was something Keith wasn't telling him but his head hurt too much to bother with prying. If he had done something stupid, he was sure that he would hear about it from the others.

Shiro sighed, "I need to get ready. I'll be out in just a moment."

Keith gave him a worried look but Shiro just waved him off, "I'm okay, Keith. I can stand on my own. I'll just have… a bit of a rough day."

"Okay…" Keith conceded reluctantly. "Tell me if you need help."

Shiro waited for him to leave and then he stood up and walked to his closet to get clothes. Even just the thought of tying a tie hurt his head. Shiro decided that he could _not_ deal with dressing nicely. Buttoning polos, tying ties… he couldn't even do it in his head.

Instead he grabbed a black t-shirt that he suspected once had a decal on the front but was now so faded that the whole thing just looked black. Then, looking at his pants, he decided that he really didn't want to deal with wearing nice clothes and that he really didn't care.

He walked out of his room with his phone in his hand and headed towards the door.

"Shiro…." Keith said slowly. "You… you can't wear yoga pants… to teach…"

Shiro glanced at him and grabbed the keys, ready to head out.

"And… Shoes?" Keith said, sounding genuinely concerned.

"Right," Shiro sighed walking over to the closet and pulling out his pair of moccasins. He did _not_ want to tie shoes or wear those uncomfortable dressy ones.

"Shiro...!" Keith said louder.

"What." Shiro deadpanned. He reached onto the counter and grabbed a pair of sunglasses, donning them as he turned back towards the door.

"Shiro… I'm not going to— you know what? Let me drive. Scratch that, Give me the keys, I'm driving," Keith snatched the keys from Shiro's hand, deciding not to argue with Shiro's fashion choices.

Shiro got into the passengers side of the car while Keith got in on the driver's side. Keith checked his phone one more time and then turned it off and set it to the side, starting the car to take them to school.

Shiro dozed for most of the drive, his head tilted back and pounding with every thought.

Keith rubbed his shoulder gently when they got there and Shiro opened his eyes, hissing at the light of the sun through his sunglasses.

"Come on, old man," Keith was smiling warmly as he pushed Shiro out the door. "Time for you to get to class."

Shiro turned around to head off and then he was pulled back by Keith once again. "And here," Keith said, "You might want this."

He handed Shiro his bag of teaching supplies.

"Keith…" Shiro said softly.

"I also put some fruit and water in there. Please drink water. We both know you are dehydrated."

Shiro nodded, feeling like a lectured two-year old.

"Can't I just burn this though?" Shiro asked as he looked down at the surplus of books and looseleaf papers. "And maybe myself? My brain feels like it is on fire."

"No, Shiro," Keith rolled his eyes. "You have to pretend that you want to be the responsible teacher in class."

"In sweatpants," Shiro added absently.

"Yeah…" Keith sighed. "Just… good luck.

Shiro waved to him and turned off towards where he thought his class was.

"This way!" Keith called pointing Shiro down the opposite hallway.

Shiro didn't respond. He refused to look at Keith.

It would be fine. He would be fine. He didn't have to worry….

He rubbed at his blurry eyes.

Yeah…. He didn't have to worry about his class….probably.

Keith has made a chat. **Fantasy Dad**

Keith: hey, guys… Just fyi, Shiro's really out of it.

Hunk: Oh no! Is he okay?

Keith: Yeah…?

Lance: well… after last night I would ve suprised if he wasntokay

Pidge: AND I RECORDED TI

Keith: so you DO still have the video?

Pidge: why wouldnt I

Pidge: what has I done to make you have such little faith

Hunk: Has?

Lance: they has the precioues. they must treasure the preciuses and keeps the preciouses away from the nasty blackmail deleteres.

Pidge: Yes. Wes likes the blackmails.

Pidge: they are the preicouses.

Hunk: Guys. Stop sounding like Gollum.

Keith: Sméagol is just a misunderstood character who needs to be comforted.

Pidge: KEith…. Pls dont tell me you have a fucking crush on that thing

Keith: first: ew

Keith: second: no

Keith: third: my love is Mothman.

Keith: fourth: duh

Lance: how long is this going to keep going?

Keith: fifth: you should know that I relate very deeply to Sméagol's loneliness.

Hunk: Once again, are you okay? And can I give you a hug?

Allura: What is going on here?

Keith: Shiro is so hungover.

Lance: dude… how bad's his headache

Keith: he woke up twentyfive mins ago

Keith: and fell on his face.

Matt: Who fell on whos face?

Keith: he doesnt look human either.

Matt: Guysssss what kind of shitty group chat is this this time

Pidge: the normal

Lance: yeah you really shouldnt' be suprised by us anymore

Keith: to answer your previous question: Shiro

Matt: Is he okay?

Pidge: ;)

Keith: define okay?

Matt: oh god

Matt: what's wrong

Keith: he's hungover.

Matt: howwww?

Allura: because he has literally zero tolerance.

Matt: I drank more than him and he literally got off the walls drunk and hungover?

Lance: yes, I would like to thank you for that.

Lance: fantasy dad was so beautiful last night.

Hunk: He was being Reckless!

Lance: i know

Lance: wasnt it amazing?

Pidge: yep.

Pidge: I only wish I could have recorded what happened on the way back to his houes

Allura: so… Shiro got drunk?

Lance: what happened on the way back?

Pidge: Ya kudos to Matt for making him drunk

Keith: Lance, I don't know but I know Matt was still there when I got home

Matt: Keith

Matt: we

Matt: don't

Matt: speak

Lance: ooooh

Matt: of

Hunk: What happened?

Matt: that?

Allura: Pidge, give me the dirt.

Pidge: you know I would

Pidge: but Matt would skin me alive

Matt: damn right I would

Lance: well now I really want to know what happened.

Pidge: ;)

Hunk: I feel like I should stay out of this

Lance: Keith… what was happening when you got home?

Lance: what did you hear

Keith: Um..

Keith: Not that.

Keith: But SHiro was asleep and Matt was imprisoned.

Matt: Keith.

Matt: Don't say another word

Matt: if you ever want me to keep my promise

Pidge: You know, I really love drama.

Lance: Me too, Pidge.

Shiro: 'sup bitches.

Matt: SHIRO?!

Hunk: What have you done with our Shiro?

Keith: this… is what I was tlaking about.

Lance: this isn't our fantasy dad. This is some fucked up clone of him.

Shiro: fuck fantasy dad

Shiro: dad dad s head hurst

Pidge: Matt? You dead yet?

Matt: …

Shiro: Joint the club

Lance: guyssss. I'm shook

Lance: Shooketh

Lance: Shiro is

Allura: swearing like a sailor?

Keith: No, you aren't imagining things.

Keith: Shiro, shouldn't you be teaching?

Shiro: no

Hunk: Shiro… that is literally your job?

Shiro: its nap time

Pidge: did I mention that I love drama?

Keith: Shiro? no? what?

Lance: Yaaay nap time.

Shiro: I gave them nap time.

Shiro: And they sounded ungrateful

Shiro: don't they know the importance of sleep

Matt: probably, but you are sleep deprived too

Pidge: WHAT THE HECKL

Pidge: SOME FUCKED UP COLLEGE GIDS DON"T APPRECIATE NAPS

Lance: I KNOW

Lance: what the heck is wrong with them

Keith: its the perfect time ot look up conspiracies.

Hunk: Normally, I would say that students should be working not napping, but sleep is also important.

Allura: Speaking of working, Hunk? Why are you texting while in class?

Hunk: because class hasn't started yet.

Lance: if the teacher is there 15 mins late the students can leave.

Keith: Of course you would know that.

Lance: you didn't?

Shiro: I want to leave.

Shiro: if I'm 15 mins late then I can leave

Keith: you already arrived Shiro

Shiro: or did I?

Keith:...

Lance: Well?

Lance: did you?

Shiro: I'm leaving.

Pidge: Can I go video tape Shiro all day?

Pidge: seriously.

Pidge: all day.

Hunk: No? Pidge? That would be stalking him and you should be in class anyway?

Pidge: im too smart for this class

Pidge: it's boring.

Shiro: guys

Shiro: the door is locked

Shiro: we're officially in a prison

Pidge: PRISON BREAK

Lance: PRISON BREAK!

Keith: Shiro, what have you done?

Shiro: I am trying to pick the lock but the students keep talking to me.

Matt: Shiro… are you okay? Are you still drunk?

Shiro: No.

Shiro: my head hurts

Shiro: My pain is always growing

Pidge: same.

Lance: IF WE HAVE APRISON ESCAPE

Lance: CAN WE RIOT

Keith: riot

Lance: YES, KEITH

Keith: I was meaning that to sound exciting

Keith: riot!

Lance: you can just feel the enthusaim wafting off of him

Keith: I've been waiting for a riot.

Keith: I have my knife

Shiro: I may want to get out of here and die, but Keith, no

Hunk: Yay! Responsible dad is back.

Shiro: No, fuck responsible dad.

Pidge: yay! Dead Dad is back!

Shiro: can you give me your knife Keith

Lance: why?

Shiro: I wanna break this lock

Keith: I would say yes

Keith: but I don't really want to let you free on this world.

Allura: Yeah… keep Shiro there. Make him rest.

Allura: I gotta go. See you guys at lunch.

Hunk: Me too.

Matt: I'm just quietly watching this conversation while taking notes.

Matt: Shiro, you need sleep.

Pidge: Of course Matt is the concerned one.

Matt: Pidge…

Pidge: Alright, Alright

Keith: Shiro, you really do need sleep.

Lance: yeah, you aren't able to break out so you might as well sleep.

Shiro: But sleep is for the WEAK. The fucking weak are the only ones who need sleep.

Matt: Shiro, I'm not disagreeing with you, but please sleep.

Keith: yeah….

Matt: is someone able to check on Shiro?

Lance: no.

Keith: Not really. Plus, I had him all morning.

Matt: alright.

Shiro: I don't need to be checked on.

Shiro: I can fall asleep whenever I want.

Matt: *sigh* I'm gonna go check on him.

Keith: report back pls

Lance: Yeah! I want to know how dad dad is doing.

Shiro: Dad dad is dead dead.

Matt: See, this is what I mean.

Shiro: Matt, I"m fine.

Matt: doesn't matter. I"m coming over.

Shiro~

Shiro rested his head on the cabinets next to him. The cool surface of wood felt good against his head.

He was dully listening to the astronomy teacher, Mr. Ulaz, while scrolling through his phone.

He wasn't really so dead inside that he wanted to escape and riot and do all those crazy things...but he _was_ just tired enough that he found the pandemonium within his friends to be hilarious.

As soon as he had walked into class, he had gone up to Mr. Ulaz, who he was supposed to be help teaching, and told him about how much of an idiot he was the previous night. Thankfully, Mr. Ulaz had understood and decided to help Shiro out and just let him rest instead of doing any of the activities he had been planning.

Shiro was thankful that he was able to just listen and let his mind rest while Mr. Ulaz taught. He knew that this was a one time thing and that he wouldn't get this lucky again, but it was still nice that Mr. Ulaz understood and didn't force Shiro to work. He knew he would have been a mess if he had tried to teach.

It had seemed like a good idea to check in on the group chat that was blowing up his phone with messages.

But… Shiro had been so tired, he hadn't really cared what he had written and writing things that resulted in his friends laughing and freaking out over text was entertaining.

And… and then Matt had said he was coming over.

Shiro didn't even know what that meant. Matt had a class during this period as well. Was he planning on just skipping class to make Shiro skip class?

Getting him both drunk and skipping school? In 24 hours? Shiro laughed to himself. The great nerdy friend Matt was being a poor influence on him. It was ridiculous but also true.

Shiro shook his head, hoping that Matt wasn't _really_ coming over.

A text buzzed on his phone and Shiro picked it up to read.

Matt: … Look behind you…

Shiro stared at the message for a moment. If it wasn't Matt texting him, he would be concerned, but given that it was just Matt, Shiro turned and looked at the door which was technically on his right.

Through the small window of the door, Shiro could see Matt with his face pressed up against the glass, staring at Shiro. Shiro chuckled to himself and shook his head.

Matt grinned and waved for Shiro to leave.

Shiro rolled his eyes and stood up, acting like he was heading to the restroom.

He opened the door and turned around, closing the door softly behind him.

"Are you okay?" Matt asked promptly once the door was closed.

"What are you doing here?" Shiro asked at almost the same time.

" _I_ am here to comfort you," Matt told Shiro.

"But you are out of class."

"But you were more important," Matt told Shiro. Shiro sighed inwardly. He wanted to believe that Matt cared for him as more than a friend, but he knew that even if Matt did care for him, it would be in a best-friend way. Shiro knew that they would never be anything more. He had accepted that a while ago when he had realized that he had a crush on his best friend.

Shiro shook his head slightly.

"I… I felt bad about last night," Matt told him softly.

"What do you mean?" Shiro asked slowly.

"For… for getting you drunk…." Matt looked like he had something else he wanted to say but was too afraid to say it.

Before Shiro could react, Matt was hugging him.

Shiro froze up at the sudden touch. Matt had his arms wrapped around Shiro's torso with his head resting on Shiro's chest. Shiro forced his limbs to move so that he could return Matt's hug, wrapping his arms gently around Matt.

"I'm sorry, Shiro," Matt whispered softly.

"Don't be," Shiro told him. Matt stood back and looked up at Shiro, his amber eyes glinting. "I had fun. Even if I don't remember it, I had fun."

Matt beamed, "You did?"

Shiro thought that he saw a tint of pink on Matt's cheeks but he couldn't be sure. His vision _was_ a little bleary unless he tried very hard to focus.

"So," Shiro said, pulling back from Matt to lean up against the wall, one leg propped up behind him. "What _did_ I do last night?"

Matt ducked his head. "Well…. You sort of one-upped Keith in cliff jumping…"

Shiro's eyes grew wide. "I did _what_?!"

Matt chuckled, not looking at Shiro, "Yeaaaahh…. That wasn't even the worst of it."

"Oh god," Shiro whispered, "What did I _do?_ "

"Well… you decided to jump the cliff. Twice." Matt was looking anywhere but at Shiro.

"Matt… tell me," Shiro said, having picked up on Matt's hesitation. "I don't want to find out what I did later…"

Matt sighed, "So after you went cliff jumping, I took you home. You cried about Big Hero 6 in the car. Um… we… walked up the stairs… and then… uhm… I made sure you got into bed and I left once Keith arrived…."

Shiro stared at Matt. That _couldn't_ be it. He had vague memories of the car trip, now that Matt had mentioned it. But… he also remembered holding Matt. That didn't make sense. Shiro would never act on any kind of the feelings he may or may not have. He wouldn't have wanted to carry Matt. So had Matt prompted him? Or was Shiro just hoping that something had happened that didn't really happen?

That thought hurt his brain.

Shiro closed his eyes and leaned his head back until it rested against the wall.

"You weren't around most of the group for most of the time."

"Well that's good," Shiro muttered. He could only imagine the kinds of things that Pidge and Lance would make him do.

"Pidge has a video though, don't they?" Shiro asked quietly.

"Yeah… I think so."

Shiro nodded. "Well… that will stay with me until the day I die. Fantastic."

"Eh," Matt shrugged, "Don't worry about it. They have so many bad videos of me. Ones that are _way_ more embarrassing. Being the older brother means I have to suffer ten times as much."

Shiro laughed softly. "I suppose that's true."

"Plus…" Matt added, looking up at Shiro, "I'm pretty sure that they respect you more than most people…."

"That is a very high placed honor."

It was Matt's turn to laugh. "Yes. Treasure it. Honor it. It is _valuable_."

Shiro smiled. "Matt, sadly, this isn't D&D where the characters are able to hold non-tangible valuables like that in their pockets. Which just really sucks."

"Yeah, I wish that I could store whatever I wanted in my pockets."

"We could carry so many useful things then!"

"We could!" Matt agreed.

Their laughter died off into a pause of silence. Shiro glanced at Matt. "You know," he said, "As much as I love spending time talking with you, and as much as I want to know what I did while drunk, I should really get back to class."

Matt smiled, "Yeah, me too. We've turned into such the rebels."

"I know!" Shiro cried. "Drinking, getting hungover, jumping off of cliffs, leaving class… I am turning into such the badboy."

Matt snorted. "Shiro… you will never be a 'badboy.' Maybe more like 'Golden boy.'"

"Then I could blind my enemies with my light!"

Matt whacked at Shiro's arm, "Well, I know that you are a beacon for weird nerds, apparently…"

Shiro scoffed, clutching his chest like he was hurt. "A beacon for them? First of all, my beacon is for everyone's weirdness. Second, I am not a beacon, I am their supreme leader."

Matt started laughing. "Hail supreme leader Shiro!"

Shiro grinned and stretched his arms wide, pretending to accept cheers of praise and glory.

"Alright, supreme leader," Matt told him, still grinning. "I'm going to head back to class."

"Yeah, me too," Shiro said, pointing behind him.

"Okay," Matt said with a soft smile. "Sounds good…. I'll see you at lunch!"

"See you at lunch," Shiro asserted, turning back to go into the classroom. He waved to Matt as he closed the door softly, returning to his spot at the back of the classroom.

Mr. Ulaz was giving a lecture on novas and how they could be viewed from great distances. Shiro wished that he could give the lecture instead. That his head would stop pounding.

He wanted to distract himself.

All he could think about was how soft Matt's smile had been. How his face had lit up when he had seen Shiro. The soft warmth of his embrace.

Shiro already wished that he could have more time to talk to Matt…. While at the same time not wanting to see him at all. His brain was confusing. Matt would never, _never,_ feel anything towards Shiro. Not in a non-friend way.

So there was no point for Shiro to waste his brain-space thinking up reasons why Matt might like him. There was no point in Shiro trying to decide if his feelings were greater than their friendship.

Because… Shiro knew that he valued Matt as a friend more than he wanted him to be… more.

Shiro sighed, staring at the vibrant multicolored nebulous up on the screen.

 _Why can't things ever just be easy?_

 _Why can't things just sort themselves out without all of the pain and struggling beforehand?_

 _Why does everything have to be so complicated?_

Keith~

Keith had arrived at the lunch table before Shiro, sliding into the next available seat before realizing that it was a seat next to Lance and that he had just made a grave mistake.

"Well, hello there, Princess," Lance said, leaning with his head resting on his arm that was propped up on the table. He had one eyebrow raised and the other slanted downwards while he smirked at Keith. "How is my fair lady doing?"

"Screw you," Keith muttered, adjusting the tiara on his head with disdain. The thing was starting to bother him. It would fall off at the worst possible moments and if it pulled at his hair, it would pull out a giant tangled clump of hair instead of just coming out of his hair.

Keith picked at his lunch, wondering if Shiro was okay or if he was in need of some kind of help. Keith hadn't been able to stop worrying about him since the morning when he had been so out of it.

"Do any of you guys know where Shiro is?" Keith asked the group.

"No, but he'd better get here. Quickly," Pidge growled. "I'm dying to show that video."

"I'm sure he's okay," Matt told Keith. "I was talking to him earlier and he seemed mostly okay."

"You call that group chat 'mostly okay?" Hunk asked skeptically.

"He… was joking for most of that…" Matt said softly.

"GASP! Our dad was making _Jokes,_ " Lance said loudly. "Like he was _trying_ to be funny?"

"Apparently," Allura added as she took a bite of her salad.

"Guys," Keith said, drawing everyone's focus back to him. "I'm just a little worried about Shiro. Should I try to fin—"

"Nope!" Lance declared loudly pointing behind Keith. "There's our hungover dad!"

"HI DAD!" Pidge shouted, waving their arms around.

"Though… what is he _wearing_?" Lance asked.

"Comfy clothes," Keith and Matt answered simultaneously.

"But—!" Lance said, gesturing to Shiro's yoga pants, faded t-shirt, sunglasses, and slip on shoes, "Shiro…."

"Hello everyone," Shiro said, pushing his sunglasses up his nose, "I would very much appreciate it if death were to visit me during the course of today."

"Shiro…" Hunk said slowly.

"Bravo. Me too," Pidge said. "Now watch this."

"No, no, no," Lance interjected. "I need an explanation. Why?"

"I'm dead," Shiro told him.

"But… you have sunglasses on…"

"They keep the light away and keep my soul trapped in the eternal dark within myself," Shiro said plainly.

"Shiroooo," Pidge whined, getting out of their seat to drape themself over Shiro's arm. "I need you to watch this _now_. The fate of whatever sanity I have left depends on it."

"Wait," Hunk said slowly, "You have _sanity_?"

"I know," Pidge sighed, "Insane isn't it?"

Hunk whacked his forehead in exasperation.

"Laaance," Pidge moaned to Lance, "I need you to film this."

"Film what?" Lance asked through a mouthful of the sandwich he had just taken a bite of.

"Um, I want you to film the gum crusting on the walls? No, his reaction!"

"Oh," Lance said softly.

Keith snickered into his hand. He couldn't help being insanely excited to see how Shiro would react. It would either go very well or very poorly and he didn't know which.

Once Lance had pulled out his phone and nodded to Pidge to indicate that he was recording, Pidge started playing the video.

The screen work was shaky and every time Pidge laughed the speakers crackled with sound but you could see Shiro and the rest of the group along the sidelines and hear what they were saying.

Keith watched over Shiro's other shoulder as he got on the motorcycle and drove off of the side of the cliff.

"Well at least I remembered a helmet," Shiro commented.

Shiro was driving off of the cliff. Pidge was laughing like a maniac, the camera shaking with every movement that they made.

In the video, Shiro yelled "FUCK MY LIFE," as he did a 180 flip.

Pidge started laughing over the film, "Fantasy Dad is schooling us!"

Shiro watched in pensive amusement.

"STOP IT YOU FUCKING SHOW OFF!" Keith yelled through the video.

"Nice one, Keith," Lance said dryly to him. Keith glares at him, rolling his eyes and not knowing how to respond.

Shiro came back up the top and did a beautiful jump up onto the top of the cliffside.

"Why is drunk me so much better at this than sober me?" Shiro asked. No one responded.

As Shiro came up on his bike he yelled "FUCK THE SYSTEM I AM INVINCIBLE!"

"And I have no filter," Shiro noticed.

He watched as his drunk-past self was persuaded into going down the cliff again. Keith couldn't help but laugh along with the group at Drunk Shiro's antics.

"YEET I CAN'T DIE!" Drunk Shiro yelled.

"Did I just say 'yeet'?"

"That you did, Fantasy Dad," Pidge said, patting his shoulder in a somewhat comforting, somewhat menaicle way.

Hunk shouted about safety but Shiro ignored him to keep doing more tricks.

"Guys," Hunk interjected in the present, "I'm not kidding. Safety is exceptionally important. It is what keeps you alive."

"But what if you don't want to live?" Shiro asked. "And also, why did none of you stop me? I can not believe I did that twice. Matt, I thought you were the responsible one!"

Matt shrugged, "Sorry. Drunk Shiro was just too funny."

Shiro sighed. "Apparently drunk me is good at executing really hard motorcycle tricks and not dying even though I would want to."

Allura scowled at him. "You don't really want to die. You just say you do."

"Mmm…." Keith trialed off for Shiro. "I think that all of us in the 'death' party legitimately want death. We just won't actually die. But if death was right here, in our face, I think we might just be like 'hello old friend."

"'Hello darkness my old friend," Lance sung quietly.

Keith immediately looked at Lance. No matter how annoying he could be, in that one line, his voice had sounded oddly beautiful. In an unused scratchy sort of way.

"'I've come to talk with you again," Pidge continued.

Keith decided to join in softly, "Because a vision softly creeping," But at the same time, Lance had sung the lyrics. Keith might not have had a perfect ear for music, but their voices oddly complimented each other.

"Left its seeds while I was sleeping," Lance and Keith continued, their volume growing as they got more in tune with each other and more confident.

"And the vision, that was planted in my brain," Keith leaned closer to Lance and Lance leaned closer to Keith in their duet.

"Still remains," they sang dramatically, their voices still quiet enough that only the people at their table could hear.

"Um, Guys?" Hunk interrupted.

"No, no, no," Pidge scolded him. "I was filming that. They were just getting to the good part."

"Yeah, dude," Lance crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head in mock shame. "You didn't let us even sing the _chorus_."

"I'm sorry," Hunk said genuinely. "Your bonding was very adorable, but I wanted to remind you that there is only about five.. . now four minutes left of lunch so if you want to finish up your lunch, now would be a good time."

Keith glanced at Lance. He chose to ignore hunk's 'adorable' comment and instead stared intently at Lance. Lance nodded. At the same time, they sang, louder than before, "WITHIN THE SOUND OF SILENCE."

Shiro clapped. "Bravo. Beautiful work."

"Encore, Encore!"Pidge shouted while they pulled open their phone's camera.

Keith rolled his eyes, adjusting the tiara on his head. He smiled at Lance faintly.

Lance did have a pretty good singing voice, though, when Keith paused to think about it. His voice almost reminded him of a cartoon he used to watch where the main character would sing sometimes and would go on crazy adventures with his talking, best friend, dog.

Keith shook his head. It didn't matter what he sounded like. Because the things he said were obnoxious. And that was all that Keith focused on.

Not at all the very faint freckles that were speckles across Lance's cheeks. Nope.

The bell to end lunch rang and everyone packed up to leave.

Right before Lance walked away, he leaned closer to Keith and sang, "In restless dreams I walk alone."

A part of Keith wanted to continue onto the song and the other part of him wanted to scoff and run away.

So of course, like an idiot, he sat there and stared, like a deer caught in headlights, at Lance until Lance waved goodbye and left for his next class.

Keith blinked away his paralysis and, against his own volition, whispered "Narrow Streets of cobblestone…"

~The next day~

Hunk~

"You walk up to the yawning mouth of the cave," Coran told them, leaning close to the table in order to act ominous. "Stalagmites hang from the ceiling—"

"Stalactites," Pidge corrected. "I'm honestly surprised you didn't know that. Haven't you heard the rhyme?"

Coran sat up looking at Pidge, perplexed. "Number five, I am not a science teacher. I haven't scienced for 60 some years."

"Coran… you aren't even 60 years old," Hunk sighed.

"But I feel that old sometimes…" Coran told them.

"A mood," Shiro said dryly.

Hunk couldn't help but put a hand to his forehead as Lance and the Holts started laughing.

"Anyway," Pidge interrupted, "The rhyme… well… not really a rhyme. More like a saying…?" They looked to Hunk but Hunk merely shrugged. He wasn't sure what 'rhyme' Pidge was talking about.

"Matt?" Pidge asked.

"Sorry," Matt shrugged, tilting his head to the side. "I don't know what you mean."

Pidge sighed.

"Do you mean that one about the 'Might' and 'Tight'?" Keith asked.

"Yes!" Pidge cried.

"'Stalagmites _might_ grow up to the ceiling while Stalactites have to hold _tight_ to the ceiling,'" Keith quoted.

"You are my new best friend," Pidge told him.

"Where did you even learn that from?" Lance asked.

"Yeah, I have never heard that before," Allura told them.

"I'm surprised that you guys _didn't_ learn that—" Keith started to say before Coran cut him off by raising his hands in a 'hail-me' gesture.

"Attention! Attention in the court!"

Lance put a fist around his mouth and pretended to make a trumpeting sound.

Hunk smiled at the group's antics. This. This right here was why they got nothing done. They would go off into random tangents and never get back to _actually playing the game_.

"I shall now continue the entering of the grand cave," Coran told them like he was someone of royal importance. "You walk up towards the yawning mouth of the cave, the large _stalactites_ hanging down from the ceiling like fangs and dripping water like blood from a great beast's maw."

"Oh, yes," Hunk said dryly. "I definitely want to go in there. I'm thinking there will be a nice warm fire with some porridge sitting out for us to eat."

"And then the bears will come eat us…" Pidge told Hunk .

"What? Why would there be bears?" Allura asked.

"Oh, you have _got_ to be fucking kidding me," Pidge moaned. "You haven't heard of fucking _Goldilocks_?"

Allura shrugged. "No? What is it? A horror story? Like those Steve Kind books?"

Lance burst out laughing, "Nope. It's—"

"AND YOU WALK INTO THE CAVE," Coran said loudly over the table in an attempt to progress the game forward.

"Huzzah," Pidge added dryly.

"Once inside," Coran continued, pausing only to glance shiftily to each person in the audience. "You see that there are three doors. One is green. One is blue. And the final is yellow. Above the green door there is a carving of a tree. Above the blue door you see a picture of a mother and a child. Above the yellow door, there is a carved butterfly with the wings spread wide. The only other thing of interest that you can see is some writing along one wall but it is too dark to be able to make out clearly."

"I've got this," Allura said, her character pulling out a glowing orb of light. "The wall reads…" She paused while Coran handed her a slip of paper so that she could read the writing that was on the walls. "'Follow the Sun.' but Sun is a drawing of a round circle with small lined rays coming off the edge."

"So it's a riddle," Matt said. "I'm good at riddles."

"I've got this," Lance smiled slyly, turning to Coran. "Coran, I would like to seduce the door on the right."

"You would like to do _what now_?" Keith asked, for some reason surprised.

"He wants to seduce the door once again," Hunk sighed. He had stopped being surprised by Lance years ago.

"Again?" Keith asked, surprised.

" is the twelfth time. This campaign." Hunk breathed out, sighing.

"Coran! I got a 13! Can I do it? Can I?"

"SURE! Why not, my boy," Coran said joyfully. "Pike walks up to the door and leans on the wall next to it, smiling seductively."

Lance stood up and walked towards the classroom door, leaning on the wall next to it. "Well, hello there, Sunshine. Aren't you beautiful… wanna… have some fun?"

Hunk couldn't help but laugh with everyone else as Lance successfully "seduced the door' and then proceeding to sit back down at his own chair, triumphant.

"Coran… why do you endorse him?" Keith asked

Coram merely shrugged.

"So…while Lance is fucking a door… let's figure out this riddle," Pidge said to the group.

"Alright," Matt announced, taking lead of the group. "So, we are looking to follow the sun. One of these doors must imply sun, or light… or warmth… or life…"

"The tree would imply life," Allura said thoughtfully, tapping her chin with her forefinger.

"True…" Hunk said, visualizing the doors in his mind. "But as Lance said… the yellow one is probably the color of sunshine."

"You do have a point there Hunk," Pidge said speculatively. "But… that seems too obvious."

"Guys," Keith said quietly.

Hunk turned his head to listen to what Keith had to say, but then Allura was talking, "No… but we have to follow the sun. Trees' leaves follow the sun. Isn't that just… a plant rule?"

"Yeah…" Shiro added, "I don't see how butterflies have anything to do with the sun."

"Guys..." Keith said a bit louder.

"Um…" Hunk tried to interject, "I think Ke—"

"But!" Matt interrupted triumphantly, "Maybe it isn't a butterfly! Maybe it's a moth! And moths follow the light."

Hunk heard Keith mutter something about following mothman to the end, but then Keith was saying "GUYS!" much louder.

Finally, everyone turned to him, to hear what he had to say.

"Are you guys all stupid?" Keith asked.

"What? No," Pidge said "We are all the most advanced forms of human stupidity that there is!"

"True," Hunk agreed quietly.

"Well…" Keith sighed,stopped in the middle of what he was going to say. "You guys are overlooking the OBVIOUS answer."

Lance leaned next to Keith, "And what might that be, Princess?"

"Oh, are you done with your door?" Pidge asked him monotony.

"Yes. We had a great time," Lance told them.

"I thought I told you, Lance," Hunk sighed, dramatically rolling his eyes, "I don't care to hear _anything_ about your sex life. I don't care with whom or what you do it to… just don't tell me."

Lance started to laugh, "Alright alright. I just think that this whole dilemma is ridiculous. We all know that blue is the best color so let's just… knock on it?"

Lance rolled his dice and told Coran to let them push through before he got consent from the others.

"Sounds great!" Coran said. "Pike presses into the blue door and it swings wide into a normal looking hallway. Large rock is carved into a roughly rounded shape to form the walls and there is a dull light emanating from the ceiling. You can't see the end of the tunnel but you continue forwards regardless, confident in your choice of doors."

"I am in fact not confident in our choice of doors," Allura said skeptically.

"Once Princess Keith, the one at the back of the group, has made it into the hallway," Coran continued slowly, pausing…

Suddenly, there was a loud crashing sound.

Hunk jumped backwards on instinct, arms splayed out to catch himself if he fell.

"BLAM," Coran shouted, "The ground caves out and everyone falls downward!"

"What?!" Keith shouted. Hunk noticed that he had also jumped back from the table, knife in hand. "This is the door?!"

"CORAN!" Pidge yelped, hands on the table, "WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK WAS THAT!?"

"YES CORAN!" Lance shouted, "I, too, would like to know WHAT THE FUCK?"

Coran was bent over laughing. Allura looked panicked and frozen in place. Matt's eyes were darting around like he was searching for an escape. Shiro's eyes were narrowed in preparation to attack anything that came at them.

"Okay, okay," Coran said, wiping tears from the corner of his eyes. "You guys can take a seat. All I did was open this container of dominoes and drop them onto the floor."

Hunk nodded, "That… That is the loudest most terrifying sound in existence."

"I THINK WE JUST FIGURED THAT OUT," Lance said, still shouting.

"What I would like to know is why we are _falling_ when that was the _right door_!" Keith cried.

"What?!" Pidge cried, sounding genuinely shocked. "You mean that Lance _didn't_ fuck this up?"

"No," Keith sighed, "for once, he didn't."

"W-w-wait," Matt said, making the 'time-out' sign. "What was the answer? How did you know? Just.. explain things in general for me."

"'Follow the Sun,'" Keith quoted. "It didn't say the word Sun written out as S-U-N. It had a picture of a sun. You had to read it. And when you read out loud, you hear the word Sun."

"I'm sorry Keith," Hunk told him, "But I'm not following."

"The word it was saying was Son as in S-O-N," Keith said somewhat patiently and somewhat frustratedly. "And what was above the blue door?"

"A mother and her child!" Allura shouted triumphantly.

"Exactly," Keith nodded.

"Wow," Lance breathed. "I am _really_ good at BS-ing riddles! Sweet!"

Keith whacked Lance in the arm. "No, you got lucky this time. You are not good at riddles."

"How do you know, Princess Mullet? I could be great at riddles and you just don't know it!"

Keith rolled his eyes, "I don't know, I just somehow suspect that the bard who just crashed through a door isn't that good with riddles."

"Well, you are right there," Hunk said, jokingly. "Lance gets like those 10% of riddles that no one else can get."

"True," Pidge added, "and that is a useful asset."

"Guys, can we find out what happened to us _falling to our deaths_ ," Allura asked impatiently.

"I don't know," Shiro sighed. "I think it's kind of relaxing."

"What? The falling?" Matt asked, "Or the knowing you are heading towards death?"

"Both," Shiro replied.

"Coran?" Allura asked.

"Alright," Coran nodded, "So everyone continues to fall for what seemed like an eternity, the walls rushing past and closing in as you fall. Everyone is screaming as they near… something."

"Coran…" Shiro interjected. "I really feel like my character would be sitting there meditatively. Maybe sitting cross-legged and staring at everyone in the group."

"Well fine, sure. Why not?" Coran said lightly before returning to the story. "Suddenly, the walls widened you could see a floor beneath you. But it wasn't just any floor! Everyone fell into a pool of liquid. The liquid was such a vibrant blue that it was hard to look at and almost impossible to see through. It felt grainy and thick compared to normal water.

"Everyone collided with the water in one ginormous splash. Once the whole team was able to surface, they looked around frantically until they spotted shore and decided to swim towards it.

"Once on the shore, everyone attempted to get themselves as dry as they could with the limited space and towels. Keith's dress was sopping, Lance's lute was full of liquid. Pidge had dropped their knife in the lake of liquid—"

"Oh what?" Pidge shouted. "That is just… no!"

"Pidge, do you want to go look for it?" Keith asked. "I mean, Coran… this is like torture. You are forcing Pidge to lose their knife and me to be in a dress."

"A wet dress," Lance laughed. "I can't imagine how you would fight in that."

"It would be so hard to move in," Allura agreed, nodding.

"Coran?" Keith said turning to the mustached man who was smugly watching their suffering, "Can I cut my dress short? Or Something?"

"Roll," Coran told him.

Keith picked up his dice and rolled it. "I got a 6."

"Yikes," Lance laughed.

"You can only cut the dress to your knees," Coran told him, "No shorter."

Keith sighed, "Okay. Deal."

"Coran," Shiro interjected, "Can we please just move along with this story? I would like to know what this blue goop is."

"I, too, would like to know what this blue goop is," Matt added raising a finger to add his point.

"On the shore, you see two tunnels along the wall," Coran described to them. "One looks larger and the other smaller but otherwise they are identical."

"NOT MORE RIDDLES!" Pidge moaned.

"I thought you liked riddles?" Hunk asked inquisitively.

"I want to beat stuff up not use my brain, Hunk."

"That's fair," Hunk replied.

"So anyone up for the I-don't-give-a-shit tactic of tunnel choosing?" Lance asked.

"What is that?" Keith questioned.

"It is exactly what it sounds like," Lance told him. "It is where we go on random mode with Pidge taking the lead because they remember the path we take so when we hit a dead-end we aren't lost."

"Oh, okay sounds good. That makes a lot of sense actually," Keith replied.

"See," Lance leaned closer, smirking, "I do have moments of brilliance."

If Hunk wasn't mistaken, he _swore_ he saw the faintest twinge of pink on Keith's cheeks. "That… that wasn't brilliance. That was you explaining something."

"Pidge, lead on!" Shiro told them.

"My pleasure," Pidge replied.

Pidge pulled out a coin and flipped it. Hunk sighed as it landed on heads. Pidge announced that they were immediately heading towards the right, same as they normally would. Every time they reached a split in the tunnel Pidge would flip a coin and they would head in that direction. At the first dead-end that they reached, Coran described a giant glob of goo was hovering on the ceiling and crashed down on top of them engulfing Keith, Allura, and Matt.

Lance had cried out in outrage, declaring that he was supposed to protect the fair princess. Shiro rolled and lept up with his sword and hacked off a portion of the goo creature's body, almost cleaving off Matt's arm, Coran told them.

"SHIRO!" Matt cried through the goop. "DON'T TAKE ME WITH IT! I NEED YOU TO SAVE ME!"

Hunk cast a slow spell on the goo creature, slowing it down even further from its lethargic state. He loved these times because everyone could see the creature before them and acted like they could, screaming out lines and grumbling over actions they had no need to grumble over all while frantically rolling and attacking.

Pidge wasn't of any help, stuck on the ground with a battle axe which caused them to get very angry. "COME DOWN HERE AND TAKE A PIECE OF ME! WHAT ARE YOU? A SCARDY SLUG?"

"Pidge," Allura called from the goop, "Please stop antagonizing the slug creature and try to get us out of here!"

"WHAT DO YOU THINK I'M DOING?" Pidge shouted, "I'M A STUPID BARBARIAN AND I'M SHORT AND I DON'T HAVE SUPER POWERS LIKE SHIRO."

"I don't have super powers, Pidge," Shiro told them. "I am just…"

"Super?" Matt suggested.

"I was going to say 'determined' but that works to."

"YOU CALL THAT SAVING?" Keith yelled at Lance.

Lance— who was unfortunately rolling horribly low— jumped up and got his legs and right arm stuck in the goo. He pulled out a dagger with his left hand and started slashing at the goop aggressively. "I AM HELPING," Lance told Keith angrily.

"Guys?" Hunk asked quietly, "I know this is an intense moment of the adventure, but can we please just all just stop yelling? We are literally two feet away from each other.."

"Oh, sorry Hunk," Lance said, relaxing. "But! I have to kill! This very! Obnoxious! Slug!"

"And save your princess?" Pidge added.

"Yeah, Lance," Keith smirked, looking at Lance, "I can't believe that you would let your princess, the one you swore to protect, be consumed by a large pink goo blob."

"WELL," Lance retorted loudly before realizing that he was supposed to be quieter, "Well, cutting a large pink blob isn't that easy!"

"Hey, hey guys?" Allura announced, reading from a slip of paper that Coran handed her, "This goop, this goop is like that blue stuff we had to swim through. We can get out of this."

"We just need to swim and dive," Matt said, nodding along.

"Oh, what?" Lance cried indignantly. "I wanted to save the day!"

Keith glared at him and attempted to swim along with Allura and Matt. Unlike the others who were making progress in their swimming, Keith was more floundering in the slug's gelatinous substance.

Hunk watched with both fascination and amusement as Keith splashed around (miming it in real life), doggy paddling to try to get to the thinnest part of the slug.

"Dude," Lance said, treading the slug's goo, "Come on. Just swim."

"I'M TRYING!" Keith yelled. "THIS SHIT IS HARD." And he had gotten a low roll.

"Why?" Lance asked. "Just swim."

"Lance, I swear, I grew up in a FUCKING DESERT. LEAVE ME ALONE."

Lance burst out laughing and drew closer to Keith. "May I assist thee, milady?"

"Lance…" Keith said warningly, "You need to take that assistance and—"

"KEITH!" Pidge yelled, "Enough! Just let the fish help you swim!"

Hunk listened to Coran as he described Matt and Allura being covered in goop but on the ground. Only Lance and Keith were still stuck in the pink goop.

"Yes, Princess Keith," Lance smiled, " _Let me show you the world_."

"Those aren't even the lyrics," Keith grumbled as he took Lance's hand very reluctantly. "I mean, come on!"

" _SHIMMERING, SHINING, SPLENDID!"_ Lance shouted.

"Ah," Keith said dryly. "This hurts my ears to listen to."

Lance was holding Keith's hand as he pulled him across the slick surface of the goop.

"Now tell me, princess, when did you let your mullet decide?"

"Okay," Hunk said, "Lance, this is hurting _me_."

"A NEW WHOLE PLACE! A NEW BRILLIANT P. O. V." Lance was laughing as he was swimming with Keith next to him, holding his hand. From what Hunk could see, he was pretty sure that Keith was blushing faintly as he was swimming, but that could have just been 'pink goo' glowing on their faces.

"Lance…" Pidge sighed, "You are killing my five year old heart."

There was a chorus of 'same's from everyone in the group save for Lance who was singing and Keith who was turned away from Lance, holding his hand, and blushing.

"Wait," Matt said, elbowing Pidge, "Are you admitting to having a heart?"

"I am admitting to once having a heart when I was a young and innocent child."

"For some reason," Hunk stared at them, "I really cannot imagine you as innocent or a child."

"Yeah, neither can I," Lance piped in..

"Oh, wonderful," Shiro said brightly, "you stopped si—"

"NO ONE TO TELL US 'NO' OR WHAT WE CAN'T TO DO!"

"Aaaand he started again," Allura sighed.

Finally, Keith and Lance got back on the ground though it was another couple of seconds before Lance and Keith let go of each other's hands and looked away frantically.

"WHELP!" Pidge said. "That was a dead-end. Now, we head the other way!"

Everyone sighed in unison except for Coran who looked at them with a savage eagerness in his eyes.

They continued and took the opposite of the first tunnel they came across, hoping that they wouldn't hit another dead end.

Of course they did.

Large gargoyles were clustered in the room.

They chose to flee.

The pattern continued with them going down tunnel after tunnel, finding a monster at the end of each dead-end.

"CORAN," Lance moaned after their 11th tunnel, "Is this revenge for falling asleep in your class?"

"Maybe."

"DUDE! WHAT?" Pidge slammed their fist on the table. "THIS IS ANARCHY! THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!"

"But… Coran… I haven't slept through your class," Shiro whined.

"Ehhh," Matt interjected. "You remember that one night?" he asked Shiro.

"Oh. Right. That…"

"Has even Hunk slept through your class?" Allura asked.

"YES. EVEN HUNK," Coran told them.

"Coran," Hunk tried to argue, "I think that we should try to move onwards in the story…"

"But torturing you guys is so much fun. And I mapped this whole place out already." He reached under the table and pulled out a folded sheet of paper. Coran slowly unfolded the paper to epic proportions until it was taking up the entirety of the table. On the paper, thin lines of tunnels and small sketches of what lay in the dead ends and notes written in a scratchy handwriting covering the entire page.

Lance whistled appreciatively.

"You guys are about here," Coran said, pointing to one of the earlier parts of the maze.

"ARE YOU KIDDING US?!" Everyone yelled in variation at once.

Coran shrugged and smiled at them all.

"At _least_ ," Pidge grumbled, "Let us use the map so we _aren't STUCK in these SHITTY TUNNELS FOREVER."_

"It isn't forever," Coran said, smiling.

"Would you cut it short?" Hunk asked kindly.

"We promise not to sleep in your class anymore," Matt sighed.

"Wait. You don't even take his history anymore…" Lance objected.

"Still, I swear to that," Matt told Coran.

"Hmmm…" Coran tilted his head pensively. "I don't know… I have a lot of really fun traps planned."

"Coran," Hunk said tiredly, pinching his nose, "I am pretty sure that if you don't speed up this labyrinth, then someone is going to rage quit."

"I'm betting Keith," Lance smirked.

Hunk looked over to see Keith with his arms folded across his chest, his eyes narrowed at Coran, and his golden crown sitting awkwardly crooked on the top of his head.

"I will join you on that bet," Pidge agreed.

Keith inhaled sharply and then breathed out muttering something like "Patience yields focus."

"Guys… can we just keep going?" Hunk requested.

"I will continue if we get the fucking map," Pidge growled slamming their fist on the table.

"Coran, can you just… move us forward?" Hunk asked solemnly.

Coran cleared his throat and tried to look regal. "Alright, so you move forward only to have a swarm of large, twisted, bat-like creatures attack you!"

 _BANG_

Shiro slammed his hands on the table.

"Nope. Nope. I'm done. I _cannot_ deal with this stupid labyrinth anymore!"

"Shiro…" Keith said softly, "There are monsters. And… and Patience Yields Focus."

"Keith, right now I say eff patience. I am running on nothing and don't want to be in these _stupid_ tunnels anymore."

"That's fair," Lance sighed.

"Coran?" Allura asked, "Can you _please_ let us leave these tunnels."

"You're hurting Shiro's brian," Matt said. He had gotten out of his chair to stand behind Shiro and hold his arm in what Hunk supposed was supposed to be a comforting way. "We all decided not to hurt the child."

Hunk looked at them for a second longer than he probably needed to. He swore that there was something going on between those two.

"Fine fine fine," Coran muttered unhappily. "You guys don't appreciate my art."

"We appreciate it very much," Allura said, "just… maybe let's continue the story and use your beautiful tunnels later."

"That's sugar coating it," Pidge groaned. "LET'S GET OUT OF THESE FUCKING TUNNELS I WANT TO DO SOMETHING OF INTEREST."

"I'll be right back," Matt announced over Pidge before leaving the room.

"Guys," Hunk interjected, starting to get worried. "It's okay. Coran was just… trying to create something difficult. Not very fun in practice… but that's okay! We'll just shorten it and get out of here quickly."

"Yes please," Lance sighed, burying his head in his arms. "Coran?"

Coran sighed, "Alright…."

"Yes!" Shiro exclaimed, "We can get out of here!"

"Finally," Pidge sighed. "Lance being Coran's favorite nephew has saved us!"

The door to the room opened just then to reveal Matt carrying three small desks stacked together. "Okay everyone," he gasped, clearly winded, "I have brought in some desks. Commence the table flipping!"

"Fuck yeah!" Pidge said bounding out of their chair and towards the desks at the same time as Shiro stood up saying, "Yay! Table flipping."

"Shiro," Keith said slowly, "I'm surprised that you… are okay… with potentially damaging school property."

"I don't see why this is necessary," Allura huffed.

Shiro turned back to Keith and said, "I usually don't advocate this sort of thing, but I'm going to make an exception today."

He turned around towards his table and flipped it over with a low grunt/yell.

"Huzzah!" Pidge shouted as they flipped their table.

"Let's get out of these tunnels!" Matt agreed as he flipped the last table.

Everyone at the table stared at them as they sat down.

"You know," Lance said, raising his head out of his arms, "I always thought that Shiro was the sane one out of you two."

"Well," Pidge interrupted before either Matt or Shiro could respond though Hunk was certain he saw Matt blushing and trying to hide it. "Is anyone at this table _truly_ sane?"

A chorus of "no"s echoed around the table.

"I don't know," Lance tilted his head to the side, "I think that Hunk and Allura are pretty sane."

Allura snorted a laugh. Hunk just shrugged. "I don't think I'm either sane or not. I think I'm just… somewhere in between there."

"Probably true," Lance nodded, "I don't think that anyone who can be friends with Pidge is normal."

Pidge snorted and grinned mischievously. "Ah, yes. Wonderful."

"Okay everyone," Coran announced, "I've cut down the tunnels. You can escape within ten turns if you do lots of things in the remaining parts or you can probably get out in one to three if you don't."

"Fantastic," Matt said, grabbing the dice to roll.

They all agreed to not dautle in the tunnels and made it out in the next two turns, much to everyone's relief.

Lance flopped onto the table. "The outside world! Oh what a beautiful thing you are!" he kissed the table which was probably infected with all kinds of bacteria. "I thought I would never see you again!"

"That may still be a possibility," Coran said, smirking. "You begin to look at your surroundings and notice that you are, in fact, still inside of the cave."

"Whaaat?!" Everyone sighed in unison.

"This cave, however, is tinted blood red and it seems like there is something creating bubbles beneath the surface of the red-brown water."

"FINALLY," Lance said excitedly. He grabbed onto Keith's arm and leaned close to him, "Did you hear that? We get to _get_ to fight a _monster_."

"Yay? I think?" Keith replied.

"Yes, yay!" Lance echoed. "Fighting monsters is the _best_. When they are larger boss monsters and not those petty goo blobs or whatever."

"You walk towards the bubbling liquid and wait to see if something happens. The ripples in the pool grow larger. The bubbles stop all together. You don't know what to think,"

"I'm thinking that this is amazing!" Lance announced.

"Well, okay," Keith sighed, "I guess Lance is the only one who knows what to think."

Pidge gasped, "Lance can think?"

"This is brand new scientific data everyone. Ground breaking research," Hunk said, pretending to write like a reporter.

" _Plip, Plip,_ " Coran said ominously, interrupting their teasing. "The water begins to bubble upwards. Then… suddenly… there's an eruption of water and…" Coran paused dramatically, "And you are all placed under the creature's spell."

Coran~

Coran bit his lip with excitement. He had been waiting for this moment for so long.

He remembered everyone's confused faces when he had asked them to write down what they thought beauty in a person meant. He had read their cards and translated them into the story.

And now, he was able to pass back the new and improved cards.

"Before you," He announced, trying to hold back a smile, "Is the creature that exists on these cards."

"It's a shapeshifter then?" Allura asked as she took her card.

"Of sorts…" Coran replied. "Now, the rules are: You can't share what's on your own card. You can make hints, you can let your actions speak for you, anything along those lines, but you cannot share with others directly what is on your card."

"Coran… this is making me nervous," Lance pursed his lips as he spoke.

"Don't worry, my dear nephew. It'll be fun!"

"I think we have different definitions of fun," Hunk told Coran.

"Maybe!" Coran declared joyously. "Now, commence the turning over of the cards."

Coran watched each member's face as their eyes darted across the paper. Allura, whose card described a beautiful person with long light colored hair and a rich voice that seemed to resonate throughout the room, was smiling softly at the card.

Keith was scowling at his card. He hadn't requested much. Only that the person was both mothman and someone that he could trust. So Coran had embellished the details a little and decided to describe two people. One was mothman and one was of someone who had brown hair, blue eyes, and freckles across their nose. Just to see how he would react.

Hunk smiled warmly at his. Coran knew that Hunk had requested someone who just had beautiful singing. Perfect for a siren.

Plus, Hunk was an all around cinnamon roll.

Coran's favorite was Lance's though.

Lance's description of what a beautiful person was was rather jumbled so, in Coran's mind, he had pictured someone who would switch genders so at one moment he would see a woman with beautiful black hair and bright blue eyes and the next moment she would turn into an equally handsome man who maybe had messy black hair and grey-ish eyes. And then he would switch into a girl with short blond hair and dark brown eyes and she would change into a, blond haired man in a never ending cycle. If Coran could project it from his mind onto the table, he would have loved to. But his description of some of the features that Lance could see would have to suffice.

Though, without being able to communicate what they saw, Coran knew that this was up to Matt, Shiro, and Pidge. Matt and Shiro both saw a white figure who had a fair form but no distinguishing features. They had both described not being attracted to anyone physically but Coran was 75% sure that they were both gay. So he had described the figure before them vaguely but as a male. He wondered if he would get a reaction out of them when the truth of the monster was revealed.

Pidge was the only one with the real power. On the paper he had had them all fill out, Pidge had written "All life is hideous just give up on trying to reach beauty." So Coran had just decided to let Pidge see the creature as a hideous goblin-esque thing that was sort of made of mist and smoke like it didn't have a definite form.

"Okay! Everyone ready?" he asked the group when it seemed like everyone was done looking at their respective cards.

He heard murmurs of agreement and smiled up at them mischievously.

"Who moves first," Coran asked. "Anyone want to take a stab at guessing what this creature is?"

"A creature of beauty?" Allura asked, smiling.

"A creature of manipulation?" Matt asked.

"I would like to stab this creature," Keith added.

"Keith, I don't think that's what he meant," Lance told Keith.

"Well, I don't really care," Keith muttered, "because I want to stab something and technically it could be hostile so…. You never know."

"How could a creature that looks like that be hostile?" Pidge asked sarcastically, staring at their card.

"I mean, you have to be wary of singing but, yeah, I don't know how it could be hostile," Hunk said kindly.

"I don't know about yours," Keith said gesturing across the room, "but mine definitely looks hostile. We should stab it."

Coran could do nothing more than stare and watch as the chaos unfolded around him. Pidge kept trying to sneak glances at the cards of people around them but Matt, at least, was a master escape artist after having lived with them for years.

Hunk was humming quietly to himself and it was a song Coran was 85% sure that he had heard Shay singing at one point in time.

Allura was smiling around the table, laughing with the group. Keith and Lance were bicking and Shiro and Matt were staying as far away from the conversation as they could. Though… they both seemed interested in what the other's card said.

"Who wants to make the first move?" Coran asked allowing his words to have duel meaning.

"I will!" Lance declared. He rolled his dice and leaned onto the table, "Hello there, gorgeous. You look mighty handso-beautiful."

Coran smiled, happy that Lance was playing along with the idea he had laid out.

"I love your long blonde hair— I mean your short black hair is so dashing!"

"Having fun there, Lance?" Pidge asked, propping their head up with one arm.

"Why yes," Lance replied. "I love flirting with this beautiful wo-handsome man."

Lance turned to Coran, "Coran. Do I have to.. .can't I just like… give general compliments? That apply to everyone? This… this is too hard."

Before anyone could react Keith snatched Lance's card out of his hand and got out of his seat to read the card and evade Lance. Keith's eyes skimmed over the card. "Hmm, interesting," he said pensively.

"No nono!" Lance cried. "If you read mine, I read yours."

Keith continued to walk around the table, his lips moving as he read the words to himself.

Lance stood up and started following Keith around. "This is not fair," Lance told him.

Lance grabbed his forearm, trying to grab back both his own card and Keith's. Keith just wiggled like a cat and managed to escape his grasp.

"KEITH!" Lance yelped trying to wrap his arms around the wiggly boy. Lance lunged forward and managed to wrap Keith in his grasp, his head buried in Keith's hair.

Coran couldn't help but grin as he watched the beauty before him unfold.

Then, before Keith could wiggle out of Lance's grasp, Pidge jumped up and grabbed the cards from Keith's hand. "I knew it! Mothman is Keith's beautiful person. OH? Though… this one is interesting."

Keith threw Lance off of him and lunged for Pidge, knocking them on the ground. Weakly, Pidge reached up and handed the card off to Shiro who accepted it. He nodded, "Yep. This is about what I expected."

"The second one, too?" Keith asked incredulously. "The second one makes zero sense, in my opinion," he turned back to glare at Coran.

"Hey," Lance muttered, "You have nothing to be mad about. Coran, you wonderful uncle, Keith is the one who isn't playing by the rules."

"That's true," Coran glanced at his watch. "Plus, there isn't much time left so, Shiro, return the cards and everyone sit down. Then we can get on with some monster butt whooping."

Hunk and Lance both burst out laughing.

"Alright," Allura said to the group. "I think it's fair to say that we are dealing with a shapeshifter or a siren or something."

"I bet it's a siren," Pidge declared. "I mean, I just… don't see… anything else…"

"True," Lance agreed.

"So how do we kill it?" Keith asked.

"I think I should attack it," Pidge said. "I think I'm the only one who isn't entranced by it."

"I'm not," Matt offered shyly.

"Me either," Shiro added slowly.

"Okay so we have a three way attack force," PIdge said. "Sweet. We can use an air-attack or something to see if we can dispel the mist around it or something. Except… none of us are mages or magic casters…."

"I can sneak very well,"Matt reminded them.

"Yes, Matt," Pidge replied snidely. "I had no idea that you were a rogue. Come on, we need ideas!"

"Um… um…" Shiro murmured, "We could… I don't know, throw Pidge or something? Since they can see the creature? Maybe that would stun it or something?"

"Yeah!" Matt said a little too excitedly. "Let's yeet Pidge."

"Let's not yeet Pidge," Pidge told them.

"What would a creature of water not want to touch," Coran supplied, trying to be helpful.

"Fire!" Matt said excitedly. "Water's exact opposite is fire!"

"Okay," Pidge said slowly, "Do you happen to know where we can procure some fire?"

"No…" Matt admitted.

"My fire casting isn't strong enough," Keith told them.

"What about Earth?" Shiro suggested. "If I were a mermaid I wouldn't particularly want to be dragged onto the shore…"

"That… actually isn't a bad idea," Pidge commented dryly.

"Let's try to chase it down and drag it on shore?" Matt asked.

Coran covered his mouth to hide his smile. Nothing shy of a perfect roll of the dice would let them catch the Siren and, more likely, the siren would catch all of them first.

Matt rolled his dice. He only got a five. Fantastic.

"Ummm…" Shiro stopped Coran and Matt from having his character chase after the siren futilly. "What if, instead, we _don't_ do that."

"Do you have a better idea?" Pidge asked.

"Um. Coran?" Shiro asked tentatively, "Are there stalactites on this ceiling?"

"Yes…." Coran said slowly. _What is he thinking?_

"Then I would like to yeet Pidge. At the ceiling."

"Yes," Matt said, immediately agreeing to what Shiro was suggesting.

"Again, I would not appreciate being yeeted at the ceiling," Pidge told Shiro.

"No, wait, hear me out," Shiro said, leaning closer to Pidge and Matt. He brought them into a huddle so that Coran couldn't hear what they were saying. He hated when they did that. He liked to know all of the juicy details of their plan. Though, he supposed that was the point of making it a secret in the first place.

"Alright," Pidge said leaning away from the huddle. "I consent. Let's do this." Shiro's eyes darted across each member, analyzing them. The rest of the team was sitting in patient amusement watching to see what their "saviors" would do to save them.

Shiro rolled his dice dramatically and mimed picking Pidge up. He declared that he was throwing them at the ceiling where they used their barbaric abilities to hack off one of the stalactites at the apex of their height. Then, they would both start to fall. The large stalactite would land on top of the Siren and Pidge would land in the water.

That was the plan anyway.

Coran watched it all unfold with interest. He had never imagined that they would defeat the siren with the aesthetically added stalactites."

But miraculously, it worked in execution. Matt used some potions to give Pidge the ability to temporarily breath underwater so they could resurface and fight without the fear of drowning. Matt was also the one responsible for trapping the Siren in chains which he was successful in completing. Shiro had used his strength to throw Pidge up to the stalactite where they were able to slice the stalactite down in one swipes.

"As the stalactite falls," Coran narrates, "Pidge lands in the water a few feet away while the stalactite hits the siren on top of the head, ceasing the sound of singing and removing the trance on the other team members."

Keith lept to action, using a water spell to hold the Siren in place while Matt secured it with ropes and iron chains that he happened to have in his inventory.

"The Siren is defeated," Coran announced to a cheering group. Lance swung his arm around Keith's shoulders saying that they could work together at times though Keith protested that they hadn't really been working together. Hunk stood up from his chair and picked Pidge up to put them on his back, parading them around the room. Matt and Shiro awkwardly congratulated each other, Shiro patting Matt on the back while Matt ducked his head awkwardly. Allura was smiling warmly at the group and giving them a speech about good teamwork.

"And just in the nick of time," Coran continued as everyone took their seats and settled down a little. "We are running over on time, but first! Your prize!"

"Loot! Loot! Loot! Loot! Loot!" Pidge and Lance chanted rhythmically.

"Below you, the water level begins to sink," Coran told them. "The water seems to funnel together like the water in a bathtub that had it's plug pulled. Soon, nothing more than a few speckled puddles of water remained on the ground below you."

"And where the water drained out, you see a spiraling staircase leading downwards into the depths below."

"Deeper? Lance whined. "I want to get out of this small area. I like being in the towns and exploring and stuff."

"It isn't too much longer," Coran assured him. "Or… is it? "

"Coraaa _aaaan_ ," Pidge, Allura, Lance, and Matt whined simultaneously.

"Alright," Coran conceded, "Just head down the stairwell."

The team headed down the stairwell and found themselves in a room with a single treasure chest placed in the center. Matt immediately set to work unlocking the trap and opening the chest. Everyone else spread out to look around the room but they didn't find anything of interest.

Once Matt opened the lid to the chest, Coran continued narrating the story. "You open the chest successfully and inside, is a single, small ring that is filthy with rust and odd colors."

"What is it?" Hunk asked softly.

"That, my children," Coran announced to the group, "you will have to find out next time because we are out of time!"

"Are you kidding me?" Shiro groaned. He stood up, walked over to the already overturned table, turned one over and then flipped it again. "Okay," He told the group.

Coran announced to them, "Well, I guess you'll have to find out more next time. Farewell my children!"

* * *

Note: Thank you for reading!


	4. A Night of Onion BFs

Keith~

Keith found it to be so weird to eat in a group without Shiro.

He had slowly gotten used to eating with the D&D group over the last several days, but without Shiro there, he felt sort of awkward.

His brother had had to leave to help their chemistry teacher clean up after the lab exploded. Shiro was always so helpful but for Keith, as soon as the bell rang, he was gone. He wasn't going to clean up other student's messes. He wondered if Pidge and Lance felt bad about that. The two of them had decided to be lab partners and everything was going _fine_ until Pidge dared Lance to add another 100 ml of the acid they were using. If Keith remembered correctly, Lance's exact words were "I don't need to be dared to do that!"

And then things exploded.

Not horribly but enough to make a fair mess that Shiro had then decided to clean up instead of joining them for lunch. Keith supposed that did make sense though since he was a teacher assistant and wanted to lead by example. Keith actually wasn't sure how he and Matt always escaped to eat lunch with the rest of them but they did.

But… without Shiro in the group, Keith couldn't help feeling like he was alone with no one to talk to. Pidge and Hunk were talking about some weird science shit. Allura and Matt were discussing the next D&D campaign idea they had and Lance was making comments on both conversations.

Keith had settled for quietly listening until he watched Matt pull an onion out of his lunchbox.

The others sort of just rolled their eyes and continued their conversations, but Keith was caught on the sight. He watched, amazed, as Matt just started taking bites out of the onion like it was an apple.

He didn't tear up. His face didn't change at all. He just started eating it; he had no reaction whatsoever.

Keith was suddenly reminded of the time he had woken up in the middle of the night to finish an english paper he had procrastinated on only to hear a weird noise coming from the kitchen. When Keith walked into the kitchen he had found Shiro leaning against the wall, reading a book, and munching on an onion.

The closer Keith got to him, the more he was sure he was dreaming because _how could you eat an onion like an apple and_ not _cry?_ What Sorcery was Shiro using?

It was hilarious when Keith had made Shiro jump, drop his onion, and then stare forlornly at it until he picked it up to eat again, but Keith was still perplexed by Shiro's hardcore snack.

When asked, Shiro had said that he could eat onions because he was 'emotionless and didn't feel anything inside.'

Now, faced with Matt doing the same, Keith said, softly but still loud enough to be heard, "How are you eating like Shiro?"

Matt turned to look at him. "I have no soul," he said and then took another large bite of his onion.

"Seriously, Shiro said basically those exact words!" Keith said with a laugh.

Matt just shrugged, not bothering to explain anything.

"God," Keith chuckled, "you two could be onion bfs!" Keith could just imagine them as Onion best friends going around and eating onions through the whole school.

Suddenly, Lance was laughing.

Keith opened his eyes at the sound, (that for some reason made his heart pound a little faster) and looked around the table. Matt had started blushing and staring at his onion like it was a teleportation device that would let him leave the table. Pidge was wiggling their eyebrows at their brother. They probably knew something that Keith didn't.

"What?" Keith asked.

Hunk and Allura both shrugged and went back to their lunches while Pidge and Lance had started smirking and raising their eyebrows suggestively at Matt.

"What's going on?" Keith tried again. He tried to recall what he had said but he didn't get the joke.

Pidge hummed slightly before saying "Nothing," in that way that totally meant something was up.

Keith rolled his eyes, knowing better than to question or push them. He would later. Or maybe Lance would crack faster. But… that would mean finding a time to talk to Lance alone and Keith had been avoiding that.

Just then, the bell rang and Matt quickly finished his onion while everyone else packed up their stuff to head off to their next class.

Keith noticed that Lance bowed dramatically and waved to everyone 'bidding them farewell.'

Before Keith himself could leave, Pidge grabbed his arm and dragged him off to the side. "Dude," they said, "that was _epic_. But.. uh… Matt doesn't really want you, or anyone to know."

"Know… about what?" Keith asked, very confused.

"Y'know," Pidge said, raising their eyebrows in that taunting way.

"I don't— Stop whatever you're doing with your face," Keith told them.

"Come on, Keith," Pidge laughed. "You completely wrecked my brother. He was so fucking red! It was fucking _amazing_."

"How?" Keith asked.

"I've never seen him blush so hard. Except for maybe that time Shiro grabbed his hand to show him how to make a move in D&D."

"Pidge," Keith said, trying to pull away, "I've got to go to class. Either tell me what's going on or let me go."

"Fine," Pidge sighed. "Your comment about the 'Onion bfs.' Like, Onion Boyfriends."

"What," Keith deadpanned. Slowly, the light in his brain came on and he _finally_ came to realize what Pidge meant. "Oh… So… I wasn't just imagining that?"

"Nope."

"Your brother … actually likes my brother?"

"And give Keith the one million dollar prize! He finally guessed it! After what? Three interactions and a thousand hints?" Pidge said, finally letting Keith's hand go.

"I mean… I've suspected Shiro might like Matt but I didn't realize that the feelings were reciprocated."

"Yep," Pidge said. "It's nuts."

"Wow…. we have to talk about this later. But I have to go to class."

"Okay, yeah, me too."

Keith grinned at Pidge as he turned to leave, excited to see how they could collaborate to get their brothers to finally stop being idiots.

~~~...

(tag names)

Keith: BabadookIsAGayIdol

Pidge: FucktheBinary

Lance: OnStandBi:

Hunk: CinnamonRoll

Shiro: DeadInside

Matt: LordPythagoras

Allura: PrincessValayun

Coran: TheGorgeousMan

~~~...~

 **FucktheBinary has created a chat.**

Chat: **Onion bfs**

FucktheBinary: yo fuckers I've made this to both include keith and for reasons that I will not mention yet

LordPythagoras: Pls no.

OnStandBi: AW YEAH! Lets freakin wreck him!

FucktheBinary: dude. Thats my job.

FucktheBinary: and not yet.

CinnamonRoll: What's this chat about?

FucktheBinary: things.

LordPythagoras: NOHTING

PrincessValayun: Now I am curious, as well.

DeadInside: What did I miss?

TheGorgeousMan: im teachig a class and you guyz should be learnig

TheGorgeousMan: but whtas uo

TheGorgeousMan: i luv gosip

FucktheBinary: I cant say yet…..

FucktheBinary: but where the fuck is keith

FucktheBinary: I made this for him.

BabadookIsAGayIdol: How is everyone here?

BabadookIsAGayIdol: and why tf does eveyone have such weidr names?

OnStandBi: Um? Everyone hates school?

OnStandBi: And talking with friends is waaay more fun

OnStandBi: and our names are amazing

DeadInside: Keith does have a point. Everyone should get back to class.

PrincessValayun: You're here too.

FucktheBinary: *Allura! Air High five!*

OnStandBi: Yeah! You go glamour princess.

FucktheBinary: and Keith, you're one to talk about names

BabadookIsAGayIdol: what?

FucktheBinary: why babadook. I thought mothman was your go to.

FucktheBinary: who am I kidding of course he's your go to. yii fucking love that dude

BabadookIsAGayIdol: your not wrong but

BabadookIsAGayIdol: Babadook is just as important.

CinnamonRoll: What is going on?

OnStandBi: idk

PrincessValayun: isn't the Babadook in that one horror movie?

PrincessValayun: Why is he a gay idol?

DeadInside: Please don't get him started.

BabadookIsAGayIdol: Too late.

BabadookIsAGayIdol: I've already started

TheGorgeousMan: do we want to know

OnStandBi: did Keith leave or is he typing

DeadInside: He's typing

CinnamonRoll: Great. What did we get into?

FucktheBinary: amazingness

BabadookIsAGayIdol: Google it if you want proof but the Babadook is a gay icon because in that movie he is only half recognized even though he is clearly there. Most of the lgbtq people feel that the Babadook is what it is like to be closeted or what it is like to be gay in a heteronormative society.

BabadookIsAGayIdol: but mothman is still amazing

BabadookIsAGayIdol: i would date the fuck out of him

CinnamonRoll: wow

DeadInside: Yep. There it is.

DeadInside: And Keith, you can't date him, he's not real.

BabadookIsAGayIdol: he is real and so is our love Shiro fuck off

TheGorgeousMan: bravo keith

-OnStandBi has sent a picture-

BabadookIsAGayIdol: See! There he is with the pride flag

OnStandBi: guys. Google it. It's legit.

LordPythagoras: that's amazing

FucktheBinary: ikr

PrincessValayun: i have never seen this movie

PrincessValayun: and now i'm not sure i want to.

PrincessValayun: that thing is terrifying.

CinnamonRoll: I agree with Allura. That is terrifying.

BabadookIsAGayIdol: believe what you want.

LordPythagoras: I agree with Keith

BabadookIsAGayIdol: Pidge… that reminds me.

FucktheBinary: wut

BabadookIsAGayIdol: is this chat about that thing

FucktheBinary: maybe…

FucktheBinary: but we are saving the trolling for later.

CinnamonRoll: I would like to spare everyone from the blackmail.

OnStandBi: Buddy….

OnStandBi: I love you…

OnStandBi: but no

FucktheBinary:blackmail is an art.

LordPythagoras: I feel like the blackmail will be directed at me and I really don't want to.

DeadInside: I am so confused?

DeadInside: Can someone explain what is happening?

FucktheBinary: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

OnStandBi: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

LordPythagoras: Nothing.

LordPythagoras: Literally nothing is happening.

PrincessValayun: but that means that something is definitely happening.

TheGorgeousMan: i j ust sent ym kids t o an activrity

TheGorgeousMan:somethign i s definitly up

TheGorgeousMan: spil

LordPythagoras: pls don't

FucktheBinary: on no, brother. I'm saving my trolling for later.

LordPythagoras: dear god save me.

CinnamonRoll: honestly, I don't know if I want to know what's going on.

OnStandBi: But… its so amazing

BabadookIsAGayIdol: It really is.

FucktheBinary: Later! Later we shall tell!

BabadookIsAGayIdol: but pidge… how long has… y'know.

FucktheBinary: Four years

OnStandBi: lit. that's amazing

FucktheBinary: ikr

DeadInside: I do not know what has been going on.

DeadInside: Nor do I want to know

OnStandBi:stop your perfect grammer oreo dad. it hu rts my eyes

DeadInside: Oreo?

PrincessValayun: Your white hair.

CinnamonRoll: You do /kind/ of look like an oreo

DeadInside: Really? Which one of you thought of that first?

OnStandBi: Gah! The good spellng. It hu rts my eyes

FucktheBinary: oreo dad. We dont need moer school in our texting… at school

CinnamonRoll: Nothing is wrong with good grammar.

OnStandBi: good grammer is boring

TheGorgeousMan: who neds spellng x

CinnamonRoll: Coran, you are literally a teacher.

TheGorgeousMan: THat DOE SN"T STOp mE

TheGorgeousMan: my k ids hav to spel I dont ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

PrincessValayun: so… can we go back to the blackmail.

LordPythagoras: no.

PrincessValayun: yes.

LordPythagoras: pls no.

PrincessValayun: Pls yes

OnStandBi: PLS YES

BabadookIsAGayIdol: yes

FucktheBinary: Ik guys. I love blackmail too. But right now we should leave matt squirming with the blackmail hanging over his head.

FucktheBinary: in fact let's all leave right now for suspense

OnStandBi: k but we'll be back, matt

BabadookIsAGayIdol: no..but i have questions.

CinnamonRoll: School is calling me anyway.

FucktheBinary: ask in selerate chat or in person keith

BabadookIsAGayIdol: Cool.

PrincessValayun: yeah.. I should really help the kids out.

DeadInside: What have you been doing instead?

PrincessValayun: reading this chat?

TheGorgeousMan: fine. were rrturning tho jist wait k

~~~...

FucktheBinary has sent a message to BabadookIsAGayIdol

FucktheBinary: hello fellow geek we dragged to hell

FucktheBinary: how can I be of assistance.

BabadookIsAGayIdol: So… matt's had a crush on shiro for four years?

FucktheBinary: yep

BabadookIsAGayIdol: Epic

BabadookIsAGayIdol: give me the dirt.

FucktheBinary: okay so i'll tell you more in person later but basically they worked together in this group and matt was like 'shit. pidge. I'm gay. I like this dude. What do I do. I don't want to tell anyone. I mean, like, i know he's probably not gay… and he's HOT so he had to be taken'

FucktheBinary: it was sad but also kind of funny

BabadookIsAGayIdol: so is matt out?

FucktheBinary: no. He's too afraid.

FucktheBinary: waht about shiro?

BabadookIsAGayIdol: uhm. It doesn't come up much but he's gay. He will tell you if you ask but he's not that open about it.

BabadookIsAGayIdol: shiro's also demiromantic and ace.

FucktheBinary: okay. Cool. so they're both gay.

FucktheBinary: well, matt's homoflexible bi

FucktheBinary: but they could be gay together.

BabadookIsAGayIdol: yay

FucktheBinary: you sound so happy.

BabadookIsAGayIdol: Yay

FucktheBinary: do you know if Shiro has any kind of crush on matt? or in general?

BabadookIsAGayIdol: not sure. If I bring it up he instantly turns it to my love life

FucktheBinary: speaking of which.

FucktheBinary: how's lance?

BabadookIsAGayIdol: idk. I don't care.

FucktheBinary: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

BabadookIsAGayIdol: I'm gonna say to you what I say to Shiro

BabadookIsAGayIdol: nope. Bye.

FucktheBinary: wait.

FucktheBinary: Keith

FucktheBinary: come back

FucktheBinary: Keeeiiith.

~~~...

Keith~

Keith had decided to sit in the big chair in the middle of Shiro and his apartment. He had left the lights off so he could freak Shiro out.

Sure enough, when Shiro walked in, he jumped when Keith jumped up and poked him from behind.

"GOD," Shiro said as he clutched his heart like he was having a heart attack, "KEITH, Don't DO that!"

Keith was cackling behind him, holding his stomach with laughter. "But it's so much fun to do!"

"Keith, what do you want?" Shiro said in his monotone bored voice.

Keith debated just being blunt and asking him flat out, but he felt like that might draw too much suspicion because of their group chat earlier. Instead Keith asked, "Are you doing anything after school tomorrow?"

"Teacher homework."

"No," Keith said, "I mean fun stuff. Like _procrastinating_ on your 'teacher homework' and going out or something."

"Oh, on a date?" Shiro asked semi-sarcastically.

 _Too on point! Too on point!_ Keith's mind screamed at him.

"I just mean out somewhere with someone," Keith managed to say cooly.

"Yeah, sure," Shiro said sarcasm dripping from his voice as he began to unpack his teacher bag and pull out his 'teacher homework.' "With 'someone.'" Shiro said putting air quotations around the word 'someone.'

Keith rolled his eyes. "Shiro, you know what I mean. It's time you get a life that _won't stress you out_."

"I'm not stressed."

"I don't think I've heard a bigger lie in my entire life."

"Ha ha," Shiro said in a monotone voice.

"Is there anyone you _would_ go out with?" Keith inquired, trying to keep the mood light.

"What about you and La—"

"We are _not_ going there," Keith asserted. "We are talking about you. So, do you have anyone dying for your attention. You could even do double dates with either Hunk and Shay or Allura and Lotor."

"Ugh. Them," Shiro groaned. He sat down on the chair and began rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I really hate that guy Lotor."

"I understand," Keith commented. "The name itself sounds like a disease."

Shrio chuckled. "Yes, it does. I think he _is_ a disease for Allura, as well."

"Yeah, I think so too," Keith said. "And I just met them two weeks ago."

"I think even if you don't know them you can just _tell_ they are a bad couple," Shiro groaned.

"True, but it's just Lotor's fault. We need to get her to see that, but that's a problem for another time. I'm not ready to deal with that without the rest of the group's support. I mean, everyone will agree with us but I still want their help in the matter."

"Okay. Me too," Shiro agreed.

"Right now… we are talking about you." Keith grinned as Shiro groaned.

"Keith, please no."

"I just think it would be good for you to get out and start talking to and seeing people. You are too stressed. You need a life."

"I have D&D."

"That doesn't count."

"Then I'm going to do like you would do and just leave now."

Shiro stood to leave. "So… do you like anyone?" Keith called.

"We are not talking about this."

"You're still gay though, right?"

Shiro turned to stare at Keith. "You know that doesn't just… change, right?"

Keith grinned and said, "Why of course it does! Everyone just chooses to be gay like a… like a lightswitch turning on."

Shrio just shook his head. "You are insufferable."

"So are you!" Keith cried. "You won't admit that you want a relationship."

"And you won't admit that you like Lance," Shiro countered, leaning against the doorway to his room.

"Touche. But you just admitted to somewhat wanting a relationship," Keith said trying to quell his heartbeat at Lance's name in the context of Keith liking him.

"I think D&D is honestly good enough for me," Shiro said.

Keith rolled his eyes.

"Fine," Shiro said. "Once you admit to liking Lance and you actually start to flirt with him instead of doing whatever it is that you to do, _then_ I will think about a relationship."

Keith shrugged. "I guess you'll die alone then. Such a shame. You're so handsome I figured _someone_ would take you but I guess not if you won't take the effort yourself."

"Keith," Shiro moaned.

"Fine fine," Keith huffed. "Go do your teacher homework."

"You should do your homework, too," Shiro said as he opened the door to his room, entered and closed the door.

~~~...

The next day, Keith had managed to gather Pidge and Lance together in the hallway just before lunch. He had had a half-formed idea in his head all day and he wanted to ask them what they thought about it.

"Why did you bring us here?" Lance asked.

"Did you want my help being a chaperone for you both?" Pidge asked.

"First of all," Keith said, turning towards Pidge with a glare, "No. Second, this is about Matt and Shiro."

Both Pidge and Lance make open mouthed 'Oh' faces and immediately stopped to listen to him.

"We have to get them together," Keith said. "Everyone in agreement on that?"

They both nodded.

"Okay. So, I know they have a weird thing in common. They both love eating plain onions. Like soulless, emotionless weirdos. So I want to make them bond over onions."

Pidge nodded sagely. "Yes, they need to figure out how much they love each oth— er— I mean how much they love eating onions together."

"Could I make it seem like a romantic dinner?" Lance said.

"Sure, why not," Keith agreed. "Why don't we let Lance do the aesthetic planning and I will get Shiro to join the Onion-date."

"Can we hold it at Matt's and my place?" Pidge asked. "Then Matt can't run from us. He would be stuck."

"That sounds amazing," Keith said. "I'll get Shiro to go over there. Pidge, you get Matt to stay there. And Lance will plan the dinner."

"Now, let's figure out the details," Lance said with a smile.

Matt~

To say that Matt was nervous was an understatement.

He hated his younger sibling telling him that he had to stay home, while they left, on the threat that they would kill him if he didn't stay, and then Pidge didn't even tell him why. Oh, and they had decided to lock one of the rooms with a key and Matt couldn't figure out what was inside.

He was worried a bomb was about to go off or something. He kept nervously checking his phone and computer to see if Pidge had anything to say to him about why he had to stay home.

His heart rate shot up as soon as the doorbell chimed through the house. Shakily, Matt stood up and walked over through the door. He looked out the small peephole in the door but he couldn't tell who was there. He took a deep breath and then opened the door…

… to find Shiro.

Shiro of all people.

Why did it have to be Shiro?

Matt's heart shot up into his throat and he almost choked. "S-Shiro?" he stuttered.

"Um," Shiro said, very intelligently, "Hi, Matt."

Matt noticed that Shiro was twisting his fingers together as though he was nervous. He was wearing a nice black shirt with a grey vest over it and a nice pair of slacks. Pidge hadn't told Matt to dress up. He looked down at his own sweatpants and t-shirt and immediately felt awful. Why did Shiro have to look so good in that vest?

"Um. Hi," Matt said. "I wasn't expecting anyone. Give me two minutes."

Matt closed the door and ran halfway across the room before realizing that he hadn't let Shiro in. _Shit_. He was being an _idiot_. He ran back and opened the door, out of breath. "Hi, please come in."

Shiro looked slightly confused but he stepped inside and Matt closed the door.

Matt turned around and _instantly_ noticed that he had almost no lights on in the entry room. He saw the piles of mail and the pile of discarded shoes. He saw the wrapper of the candy bar he had eaten earlier laying on the floor along with numerous other things of either trash or clutter.

The next time Matt saw Pidge, he would have to remember to kick their ass for not telling him about this.

"I'm so, so, so" _too many '_ so' _s,_ "sorry for the mess," Matt said.

"It's fine," Shiro shrugged, standing awkwardly beside Matt in the entryway.

Matt rushed over and flicked on the lights, blinding Shiro, and then immediately started apologizing.

"It's fine," Shiro assured him.

"I'm going to… uh… I'll be right back," Matt turned to leave. "Oh, and make yourself at home. Please. I'll be… right back." Matt took off refusing to look at Shiro. He could feel a warm blush creeping onto his cheeks.

 _God,_ he knew he was being such an idiot but he could barely think. Shiro just looked _so awesome_. Like always. But now they were _alone_ in Matt's house.

And Pidge hadn't warned him so there was trash everywhere and Matt was in sweatpants. Things were going just _perfectly_.

He got to his room, panicky and out of breath but he rushed to find his nicer cloths. The only thing he found was a full suit and Shiro wasn't dressed _that_ nicely. Matt didn't want to overdo it.

 _Finally,_ he settled on a green polo shirt with a black bowtie and some nicer khaki pants. Just before he left his room, Matt grabbed a black belt to tie the outfit together.

He walked out to find Shiro sitting on the edge of the couch with his hands clasped together as he waited for Matt.

Matt wondered how long he had taken to get dressed. He hoped it hadn't been long.

"Wow," Shiro said. "You look nice." His face paled. "I mean, you didn't look bad before… you looked… comfortable."

Matt chuckled nervously wanting to change the topic. "Is there a reason you came by?" Matt started to worry that he had forgotten something.

"Well…" Shiro said nervously, "Keith told me to come here. He gave me this key and said you would know what to do with it…"

It was Matt's turn to pale.

 _God, Pidge. What did you plan?_

"Yeah," Matt sighed, "I know what to do with the key."

He held out his hand and Shiro placed it in his palm. As his fingers touched Matt's palm, Matt couldn't help feeling that familiar but annoying electric shock that jolted through his body.

Matt hesitated for a second too long before pulling back and marching off towards the locked door. He half hoped Shiro wouldn't follow him because he was afraid of whatever horrors lay beyond the door, but Shiro got up and marched behind him towards the locked door.

Matt stuck the key into the old-fashioned lock and twisted it until he heard the click. For some reason his fingers were shaky and his palms felt sweaty.

 _Calm down_ , he told himself. Shiro was his _friend_. They were just two _friends_ hanging out. In nicer cloths. Alone. And… and Matt couldn't stop thinking about how good Shiro looked and how much he would love to even just get close to him.

Matt cracked the door open and looked inside. The room was dimly lit but there were candles that illuminated a _very_ small two person table with a basket in the middle. Matt immediately thought of a romantic dinner and slammed the door shut.

 _Nope._ He was _not_ going in there with Shiro. Not in his own house. Not when _clearly_ Pidge had set this up.

"What is it?" Shiro asked startling Matt into jumping a little.

"Nothing," Matt said a little too quickly.

Shiro smiled at him and then grabbed onto Matt's hand which was still clutching the door handle and he turned the knob until the door opened. Matt bit his lip and he watched Shiro's face. They were _so close_ together.

Shiro made little to no reaction. Maybe by some miracle he didn't see Pidge's intentions.

Shiro walked over towards the basket and then opened it and pulled out a nearly spherical, white object. Shiro started laughing joyously at the object. Curiosity got to Matt and he started to walk over to Shiro. As he started walking, he noticed that there was something underneath his shoes on the ground.

 _Oh my god are those rose petals?_ Matt thought in a panic.

He rushed over towards Shrio and recognized what was in his hand.

An onion.

He was holding a freaking onion.

He was going to _kill_ Pidge and Keith.

"Did Keith do this?" Shiro asked.

"I assumed Pidge had," Matt said. "They know that I like eating raw onions."

"Really?" Shiro asked, "So do I?"

"Huh," was all Matt could say. He knew for certain that their siblings had been working together. He wished he had never brought an onion to lunch. It was a bad mistake.

"So…" Shiro said placing the onion next to the basket. He pulled out three more onions and placed them next to the first. _Really, Pidge? Four Onions?_ Then he pulled out two cling-wrapped wrapped plates of spaghetti. He then pulled out a small pourable container of sauce.

"There was a hot plate at the bottom so the spaghetti would remain warm," Shrio told Matt.

"I _swear_ I didn't set this up," Matt said.

Shiro laughed, "No I wouldn't have expected you to set this up. But, food is food."

Shiro gestured to the chairs and took a seat himself. Matt sat across from him. If Matt pushed his chair in too closely, his knees would knock into Shiro's. God, this was so weird. Matt hated how awkward he was. He hated how he couldn't act normal around Shiro.

He grabbed one of the plates of spaghetti and began to unwrap it while Shiro did the same. Matt grabbed the sauce first and covered the Spaghetti then handed it to Shiro. At least Pidge hadn't given them only one plate of spaghetti in hopes of a Lady and the Tramp moment.

They ate in silence. Matt almost wished that Pidge had added some romantic music just so that he could focus on _anything._ The room was too dark for him to see the decor on the wall so the only things he could look at was his plate of spaghetti, the onions, the candles, and… Shiro.

And sadly, his eyes kept being drawn to the last one. He couldn't help but stare at the scar across Shiro's nose that somehow made him even more handsome. He would always look at Shiro's white bangs and his eyes would trace every strand of hair. His metal prosthetic arm was concealed except for the hand that Matt, really wanted to touch and hold. His eyes were always so kind despite their stormy color. Shiro was even sitting up perfectly like he was trained with perfect posture. It didn't feel awkward for him, it just made Matt want to be better.

"So…" Shiro said after he was mostly done with his spaghetti. "Should we indulge our siblings and eat onions?"

Matt chuckled. "A part of me doesn't want to but the other part of me thinks that those onions look really good."

Matt reached out and grabbed one, Shiro took one as well.

"Well, cheers! I guess..." Matt said awkwardly raising his onion towards Shiro. Shiro tapped his onion with Matt's and then took a large bite at the same time Matt did.

"So… when did you start eating raw onions?" Matt tried to ask conversationally.

"Um, I don't really remember," Shiro answered.

More silence. _God, this is so awkward,_ Matt thought.

"I think I was eleven when I started eating onions," Matt said offhandedly.

"I don't remember how old I was but I was dared to try it and I decided that: you know what, I wasn't going to cry. Honestly I thought it wasn't going to taste that good, but then… it actually did taste that good," Shiro said as he took another large bite. "The onion proves how dead I am inside."

Matt laughed, "The onion proves how soulless I am. Who dared you to eat it?"

"Keith," Shiro said. "Who else?"

"True," Matt grinned.

"Why did you start eating onions?" Shiro inquired.

"I… I guess that I saw… someone… eating it and I was like 'I wonder how that tastes. It can't be to bad if someone else is doing it,' you know."

Matt had a vague memory of seeing Shiro eating an onion and wanting to try it. But he would _never_ tell Shiro that.

Their conversation died off as they finished their onions. Matt checked his phone in his pocket and saw that only about twenty-five minutes had passed since Shiro had first arrived. _Great. How long do I have to endure this?_

"Keith saw me once eating an onion and I swear it messed him up for days."

"Pidge freaked when they found me eating them too. They kept asking me to eat them like it was a party trick. 'Look here! My brother doesn't cry at eating an onion!' It was so weird."

Shiro laughed good naturedly. "That's amazing. Keith just kept making jokes about me being dead and empty for the following couple of weeks."

They were quiet again. It wasn't as awkward as before but Matt still kind of wanted to leave. He loved Shiro's company. He really did. But he hadn't been expecting this kind of… implication from his friends.

"So… why were we brought here to eat onions?" Shiro asked. "Not that I mind," Shiro added quickly. "I enjoy talking to you and I was fed pasta. But still…"

"Well…" Matt said, that fire boiling in his stomach again. He remembered Keith's comment about them being Onion Bfs and then the group chat. _What would Shiro think if he had been there in that moment?_ "I was eating an onion at school and Keith saw and started commenting about it. I suppose they wanted to show us that we both like onions. He wanted us to… bond or something."

Matt didn't dare start thinking about how close he was to Shiro and yet how he wanted to be so much closer. It was crazy. He knew that. To Shiro, they were probably just hanging out like good friends. But to Matt… he had an annoying fire in his chest. He knew he didn't want to get closer to Shiro. It was crazy. And he hated that he couldn't stop his thoughts from going there.

Matt wanted that fire to extinguish.

But then he looked back up at Shiro. Shiro who was laughing like Matt had just told the greatest joke. Shiro who looked wonderful with his head thrown back with glee. Shiro who's eyes held so much joy that Matt couldn't help but smile when he looked at him.

Matt felt the fire flare in his chest. He noticed that his knee was touching Shiro's. He felt hot and overwhelmed.

It was awful.

He hated it.

But… he wanted to get closer to Shiro too.

Matt hated himself.

He wanted to tear out his insides just so he could stop feeling this _fire._

So he could stop feeling anything.

It wasn't worth it.

This fire hurt.

They are _friends._

He felt suffocated.

Shiro doesn't, and would never like him that way.

He had to leave.

He had to get away.

Matt stood up before he could even think about it.

The chair was behind him and his hands were on the table.

His lips were moving of their own volition. He couldn't stop speaking.

"Shiro, I'm sorry but I just forgot that I have an essay due tomorrow."

He hated his voice.

It was too rough. It was too cold.

But Shiro merely nodded.

Did his eyes look sad?

Had Matt hurt Shiro?

But then Shiro looked up at him and he was smiling again.

"Of course," he said warmly. "I understand."

 _No_ , Matt thought, _you don't_.

Shiro placed his hand on Matt's shoulder and smiled at him. Electricity jolted through Matt's body and he jerked away. Then he felt bad about it. Without Shiro's touch, Matt felt emptier than before.

"We'll have to plan a revenge on our siblings sometime," Shiro said.

Matt couldn't look at him but his voice was still warm and kind.

"Goodbye, Matt."

Matt nodded, but he couldn't say anything.

"I'll text you later about the revenge," Shiro added as he walked past Matt. Matt nodded once and turned to watch him as he walked out and closed the door.

As soon as the door closed with a soft click, Matt fell back onto the chair.

 _What have I done?_

Matt had chased Shiro away.

Matt had told him to leave.

Just after they were getting along.

Matt had always told himself that he could never date Shiro… but he had hoped that he could be friends with him. He had wanted to preserve their friendship. He had wanted to always be close…

And now he had probably wrecked his friendship with Shiro, too.

Instead of feeling a fire inside of him, he felt like there was a black hole in his chest pulling everything into a nothingness he wanted so desperately to fall into.

Matt felt a buzz on his phone.

Pidge: How's the date going? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Pidge: I mean Onion bonding hangout.

Pidge: Nah, you know I mean date.

Matt didn't respond. He didn't want to talk to anyone, least of all his obnoxious sibling who set up the event that Matt had ruined, ergo ruining his friendship with his _stupid_ crush, Shiro.

He silenced his phone and set it on the table. Slowly, he got up, extinguished the candles, and left the room.

He had tried so many times to convince himself that he merely admired Shiro. He had tried to control his feelings into something of friendship and caring.

But he couldn't control them. His feelings just _had_ to manifest into more. Into a crush. A stupid goddam crush.

Matt threw the door to his room open and pulled off his bow tie and belt.

 _Pull yourself together Matt,_ he told himself.

They were friends.

 _We are friends and friends are busy all of the time._

But friends don't usually tell each other to leave awkwardly. And friends don't usually feel a fire in their chest at seeing each other. Friends don't wish to hold other friend's hands down the hallways at school despite how much their brains yell at them about how _weird and wrong_ that would be.

 _We are friends._ Friendship. _Friendship_. _Friendship is what matters._

Why was he such a goddamn idiot? Why couldn't he just turn his feelings off without feeling like an empty pile of nothingness. Why couldn't he just blow out that stupid fire and go back to being normal. Just make it be over with.

Why… why did he have to feel anything?


	5. Prince L'Oreal

Hey everyone! Long time without posting…

Yeah.

So Life happened and I got busy and just didn't get a chance to write. And I kept saying I would go and write more of this fic but I never got back to it and now it's just stressing me to have around. So, like other fic authors, I'm posting what I have.

Which is a lot.

I wrote this fic very out of order and my best chapter will be the last one I post at the end.

So please read it if you enjoyed the other parts of this fic or are new to it! I have some good content here and even if I didn't get to share all of my ideas, I got to shae a lot of them and that matters to me. If you enjoy these chapters or this fic, shoot me a comment! I honestly just need to get these out here. Some of them (like this chapter's) I wrote in June of 2018. So whoo!

Have fun. This is a lot, but they are funny!... And angsty.. Hm.

:-) Thanks to everyone who sticks with me through this and appreciates all the work I did put into this. Many hours of my life went into this fic and these ideas and I still believe they are worth sharing.

So without further ado:

* * *

Lance~

"Everyone walks into the large, cavernous room," Coran describes, "And they see a large pile of gold in the center that glittered with gems and gauntlets and amulets."

"YAY GOLD!" Pidge cried.

"Charge!" Lance shouted. Matt was grinning in agreement and Keith, Shiro, and Allura were shrugging.

"Guy's it's probably a trap…" Hunk said.

"Too late," Coran said gleefully, "You're outvoted. Everyone charges towards the treasure and begins to collect and loot through it… _when…_ "

"I KNEW IT!" Hunk cried.

"A ginormous skeletal dragon emerges from the dark hallway that was _just_ out of sight."

"Oh, come on!" Shiro shouted, though he was laughing. "Can't we just take the treasure and go live our lives until death?"

"It's time we fight like valiant warriors!" Allura cried.

"I still don't know what the hell I'm doing," Keith said, "But let's attack that thing."

Lance smiled at him. "You know how to play. You just can't outplay _me_. I'm the master."

Keith snorted. "No you're not. A bunny could defeat you with barely a glance in your direction."

"Aw, then the bunnies must completely _destroy_ you!" Lance countered.

"You think you're so much better than me?" Keith said, "I'm going all in on this fight."

Lance had no choice. He couldn't resist challenges. Especially _Keith's_ challenges. He just always wanted to one-up and beat Keith. "Then so am I! I will destroy this skeledragon in two seconds. Shiro, what's the plan?"

"Um. I think that…" he paused then called everyone into a huddle so Coran couldn't hear. "First, Pidge is going to distract from the front while Lance sneaks around the left. Matt," Lance wondered if he imagined it or if Shiro had paused for just a _second_ longer. "You sneak around the right side. I'll be Pidge's support as a front attacker. Being in a cave, that thing can't fly so we need to stay away from it's head and tail. Allura, I will need you to be my support with arrows. Keep shooting arrows at it's head to keep it away from Pidge and I. A bit from that dragon could be fatal. Keith, try to trap it in one place with vines. At least trap it's tail or seal it's mouth closed. Finally, Hunk, stay to the back and watch everyone and heal and protect them as they need it. Does everyone know the plan?"

Everyone in the group nodded with determination.

"Ha!" Lance whispered to Keith. "I get to be fighting the dragon while you have to stay in the back."

"But without me," Keith said, "You would die."

They all rolled for their attacks and told Coran who plotted out the fight.

"Pidge and Shiro immediately jumped forward towards the dragon and started attacking its head. The dragon was so startled that he reared back to breath fire."

"How does a skeleton breath fire?" Matt asked.

"I don't know," Shiro responded without looking at Matt. He hesitated again before saying, "They just do. Like me waking up in the morning."

Matt chuckled but Lance noticed that he also wasn't looking at Shiro and his eyes didn't have the same light. It seemed more like he was nervous than like he found it funny.

"Matt and Lance started sneaking around the dragon as it blew fire at Shiro and Pidge. Sadly, the dragon detected Lance and blasted him with a sharp blast of fire. Matt managed to get a swipe in with his dagger. Hunk had to move closer to heal Lance from the fire blast but Keith was able to cover him by growing vines to cover the dragon's snout, briefly."

"HA!" Keith cried. "I've only been playing a handful of times and yet I'm still doing better than you are!"

"That's because you got a freakish roll," Lance grumbled.

"Admit it, I'm better than you," Keith said.

"Why would I admit to something that is so obviously not true?" Lance replied. "Besides, rolls are based on luck anyway. One good roll doesn't mean you are better than me."

"UNFORTUNATELY," Coran shouted to draw everyone back, "The dragon let out a breath of fire so strong, that Keith's vines burned and burst away knocking everyone back a couple of steps. Allura was the first to stand. She drew back her bow and—"

Before Coran could continue, the door to the classroom they used for D&D burst open.

"Allura? My Princess?"

 _Uuugggghhhhhh_ Lance grumbled internally, and maybe externally too.

"Oh," Allura said pleasantly, "Lotor!"

"Remember?" Lotor said, not coming inside the classroom. "We have to be at that party at 7:00 and it is 6:15 right now."

"Can't I finish—"

"We _can't_ be late," Lotor emphasized. "Now," He sneered, "say goodbye to your geek friends."

"Dude," Lance cut in, fed up with Lotor. "Chill. Our game is _almost_ over. Like, if you wait for six minutes, we will be done."

"Lance," Allura said calmly, "It's okay. Be nice. I did promise Lotor that I would be ready to be at this party."

Lance looked to the others for help. Keith, Shiro, and Matt all looked angry but they were staring down at the table. Pidge had balled their fists and looked ready to attack Lotor. And Coran looked like he was _livid_.

But none of them said anything.

Why didn't they?

Lotor _shouldn't_ have that kind of control over Allura. Despite whatever Allura said about how kind he was.

Plus… they were so close to finishing. Allura was about to bring out an awesome power move on the skeledragon.

"You guys can finish without me," Allura said smiling at them. "Just text me later to tell me how we defeated that dragon!"

"Coming, _Princess_?" Lotor asked and in Lance's opinion, his tone was _very_ rude and he totally deserved to be told to shut up.

"Yes, yes," Allura said. She gave them one more apologetic smile and then she dashed away. Lance saw Lotor put his arm around Allura's shoulders and turned to glare back at the D&D group.

UGH. Lance _hated_ that guy.

He was always taking Allura away.

Everyone agreed that he was just _bad_ for her.

They all knew that Allura ran in a different group than the rest of them but she was still their D&D archer friend and they loved having her company.

But… Lotor was just like a poison for her.

They finished up the game and it only took four minutes— less than Lance had thought. But it still wasn't the same. No one stayed to talk about how awesome Pidge's ending blow was. Matt and Shiro seemed to be avoiding each other and all that made Lance do was wonder, yet again, what had happened between them that night at Matt's house. Lance had planned everything to be cheesily romantic but the two had barely spoken afterwards. Had… had they gotten together? No, there would be more secret glances if that were the case.

Even he and Keith didn't argue about who had dealt more damage to the dragon. Which… Lance was kind of disappointed about, though he didn't know why. He just was.

They all left shortly with quick goodbyes and started to head home.

* * *

Lance and Hunk were vegging out on the couch after the D&D earlier.

"Do you think that Lotor is a bad influence on Allura?" Lance asked.

"Yes. I do," Hunk said. "I don't think any relationship should have a dominant partner who just yells at and forces the other to do things they don't want to do."

"I think Allura wants to go to the party…" Lance said.

"But she wanted to finish our D&D game first," Hunk corrected.

"Yes, and that's why I don't like their relationship," Lance grumbled.

"Can we add Keith to the L'Oréal group chat?" Hunk asked.

"On it," Lance replied.

Keith added to Let's roast the walking L'Oréal commercial

OnStandBi: Ey everyone! ready for the ranting?

BabadookIsAGayIdol: walking… L'Oréal?

BabadookIsAGayIdol: Is this about Loror?

BabadookIsAGayIdol: because I hate him

BabadookIsAGayIdol: Let's roast him.

FucktheBinary: great! We have a new fan to add to the club

CinnamonRoll: Yeah. He's not /necessarily/ a bad guy but he's not a good influence on Allura.

DeadInside: Hey! Keith and I were just talking about this.

OnStandBi: i tink we need to… take out the trash

OnStandBi: if you get my meaning.

FucktheBinary: yep. I hate how he just… demands that she leaves.

OnStandBi: and that way he just has such a smug look with his 'brilliantt' white hair flowing

CinnamonRoll: He's a walking L'Oréal comercial!

OnStandBi: "our products protect, clean, and enhance your hair"

DeadInside: Yeah… Lotor does the exact opposite of those things

DeadInside: He harms, ruins, and destroys Allura's life.

OnStandBi: He's a walking disaster.

CinnamonRoll: For Allura at least.

FucktheBinary: L'Oréal is good for your hair.

FucktheBinary: He' . In fact allura hair is suffering from it.

OnStandBi: Actually she's not her hair is perfect.

FucktheBinary: but figuratively he needs to get out of her hair. Or literally.

CinnamonRoll: He really does.

BabadookIsAGayIdol: "everyone loves a comeback"

OnStandBi: Yay, Keith has joined.

BabadookIsAGayIdol: "Because I'm worth it."

FucktheBinary: Walking L'Oréal is not the answer.

FucktheBinary: you know who's worth it?

FucktheBinary: anyone but him.

CinnamonRoll: Yes, Their relationship is not a good one.

OnStandBi: who in their right mind would date a walking shampoo bottle.

FucktheBinary: Allura apparently.

BabadookIsAGayIdol: y'all. I met that couple three weeks ago and I can already tell he's bad.

DeadInside: We need to find a way to get them to break up

OnStandBi: can we convince Allura to break up with him?

OnStandBi: Like… he's /not/ good for her.

FucktheBinary: so what's our plan.

CinnamonRoll: What if we all talk to her at different times?

DeadInside: She's stubborn. I think we more likely need to get her to believe that he's a bad influence.

FucktheBinary: I'm great at subtleties.

OnStandBi: me too

BabadookIsAGayIdol: you two are literallly the /least/ subtle people I know.

OnStandBi: I CAN BE SUBTLE

BabadookIsAGayIdol: no. you can't

DeadInside: No,

.you can't.

CinnamonRoll: dude, don't argue. You don't have a subtle bone in your body.

CinnamonRoll: if you were to be subtle, this would happen:

CinnamonRoll: Lance : hey, Princess.

PrincessValayun: yes Lonce

OnStandBi: um, uh... Lotor's bad for you! Shoot gotta blast!

OnStandBi: *gsps offendly* I am way more subtle then that

OnStandBi: And I would say 'shit' not 'shoot'

CinnamonRoll: well, I don't curse

CinnamonRoll: and, no, you're not

FucktheBinary: ouch. Betrayed by your best friend

FucktheBinary: #riplonce2018

FucktheBinary: what about me? Am I subtle.

BabadookIsAGayIdol: you are… barely more subtle than Lance.

FucktheBinary: A victory is a victory.

CinnamonRoll: Lance went to sulk in the corner.

FucktheBinary: He did?

CinnamonRoll: yes.

DeadInside: Fantastic now we can finally get work done and fix it

LordPythagoras: what's going on here?

FucktheBinary: YES my brother has come to join the burning of Lotor

LordPythagoras: yay. I love roasting.

BabadookIsAGayIdol: oh, hi Matt.

LordPythagoras: hi Keith. I see they added a new memeber to the group.

BabadookIsAGayIdol: yeah, we're trying to get Lotor and Allura to break up

TheGorgeousMan: YES MY FA VORIRVe TO PIC

TheGorgeousMan: SEPERATE

TheGorgeousMan: SEPERATE

BabadookIsAGayIdol: I see Coran is in this chat too

OnStandBi: the only one not here is Allura because we didn't want her to be offended.

DeadInside: This chat can get kind of nasty sometimes.

CinnamonRoll: Pidge once sent pictures of photoshopping Lotor with L'Oréal comercials.

OnStandBi: Hey, L'Oréal is actually a good product, dudes.

OnStandBi: his mere exsistence offends me because L'Oréal is so much better then him. L'Oréal doesn't deserve this slander that prince L'Oréal gives.

OnStandBi: the comercial company just needs to hire Lotor

FucktheBinary: though honnestly, Allura could join too.

CinnamonRoll: She would be better anyway.

LordPythagoras: yeah, no one wants to see Lotor and his obnoxious ass

TheGorgeousMan: L'Oréal is fin e but thay dont even selll good mustache conditners

BabadookIsAGayIdol: where… where /can/ you find mustache conditioners?

TheGorgeousMan: Ill never tell.

DeadInside: Now that everyone is here, let's get to work.

OnStandBi: what's the plan oreo dad?

DeadInside: First, stop calling me the dad of the group. Second, I think we should all sit down with her, or maybe just a few of the… more serious ones in the group, and convince her that he isn't good for her. We will still support whatever decision she makes, even if we dislike it. Likely, she will listen to us if we give her facts (unlike somebody I know) instead of opinions. She's stubborn but logical.

OnStandBi: first: no can do. You're the dad.

BabadookIsAGayIdol: that last comment is directed at me isn't it.

OnStandBi: second, who do you qualify as 'more serious.'

LordPythagoras: not you.

OnStandBi: I'm so hurt! I'm serious.

CinnamonRoll: Lance, honey, no.

FucktheBinary: Lance you are as serious as a five-year-old on their birthday.

DeadInside: Pidge, Lance, you two are both lacking serious bones in your bodies.

CinnamonRoll: and subtleties.

DeadInside: that too.

TheGorgeousMan: i can be serius

BabadookIsAGayIdol: not from what i've seen

BabadookIsAGayIdol: and read.

TheGorgeousMan: …

TheGorgeousMan: ok your rite

TheGorgeousMan: but i'm bascally her uncle

TheGorgeousMan: im her Funcle.

TheGorgeousMan: hEr fun uncle

DeadInside: I think our team should be Hunk, myself, and Matt talking to Allura

BabadookIsAGayIdol: what about me?

DeadInside: Allura doesn't know you well enough.

OnStandBi: and you are impulsive and wouldn't consider feelings and whatnot.

BabadookIsAGayIdol: And you think you're better than me?

OnStandBi: always

CinnamonRoll: So I'm cool with the team plans. Matt?

LordPythagoras: Um, sure. That works.

DeadInside: You sure Matt?

FucktheBinary: O.O

LordPythagoras: Yes, I'm sure.

LordPythagoras: Pidge, I don't want to know what that face means.

FucktheBinary: I'm talking to you later.

OnStandBi: O.O

BabadookIsAGayIdol: can I get in on this?

OnStandBi: me too.

FucktheBinary: Later

DeadInside: Okay, I'm going to go. Let's talk with her the day after tomorrow. I know we would usually have D&D at that time but let's talk to Allura instead so that we can make sure she's there. Maybe the rest of you guys can come back after a little bit and then we could play a little bit.

OnStandBi: sounds good.

TheGorgeousMan: oK

TheGorgeousMan: but i cant be ther?

CinnamonRoll: Sounds good. And no, Coran. It would be better if you weren't there.

FucktheBinary: Matt says he's fine with that and so am I.

BabadookIsAGayIdol: Yeah. that works.

DeadInside: Okay. Good. We have a plan. Don't ruin it tomorrow. We'll talk to her overmorrow.

CinnamonRoll: Nice word

OnStandBi: smartass oreo dad.

DeadInside: :-)

OnStandBi: oreo dad made an emoji

...

* * *

Allura~

Allura stood awkwardly to one corner while she waited for Lotor to get the drinks.

 _Lotor isn't a bad person_ , she told herself, _He was just worried we were going to be late. That's all._

Allura kept checking her phone nervously.

She wanted to know how the game had ended.

Had they defeated the skeledragon?

( _Had they forgotten to text her?)_

Did the dragon have the key to the next crypt?

( _Was she being left out?_ )

She knew that her friends didn't particularly like Lotor, but that was because they had never bothered to _know_ him. He could be so sweet and caring and uplifting. When he wanted to be.

Allura sighed and sagged against the wall, her arms crossed over her chest. She had changed into a casually formal sun dress in blues, whites, and pinks and she had let her white hair down so it could flow across her back.

She and Lotor would always joke about their naturally white hair and how they would always stand out for it.

"Hiya!" Allura heard.

She looked up to find one of Lotor's friends, Ezor standing before her. Ezor had a pointed face that was accentuated by the shaved sides of her hair. The rest of her hair was a grown out mohawk style that she wore in a ponytail and was dyed hot pink. Her short dress was a light pink-orange color that complemented her girlfriend, Acxa. Acxa was also extremely beautiful, wearing black slacks and a dark purple-blue blouse. Her black hair was short and the tips of it were frosted with a midnight blue color with one longer strand that she kept towards the front of her face.

If she had been told to guess, Allura wouldn't have imagined that the two would be friends let alone that they would date, but they were really adorable together. Ezor was always so peppy she would wrap her arms around Acxa in a moment's notice and somehow manage to get Acxa to smile broadly.

"Hello Ezor, Acxa," Allura said warmly. "How are you two doing tonight?"

"Honestly," Ezor said, "I'm kind of bored. I mean, I'm glad to be spending time with Acxa and my other friends, but the music isn't interesting and the light's just give me a headache."

"Aren't you the one who wanted to come," Acxa said leaning over to rest her head on Ezor's shoulder.

"Yeah, but I didn't think this party would be this lame," Ezor said as she smiled and rubbed Acxa's shoulder. "Where's 'Prince' Lotor?"

"Prince?" Allura had asked.

"Well yeah," Acxa had replied. "I mean you are the school princess so now that you two are dating, he's your prince."

"That I am, Princess," Lotor had said in response, smiling broadly as he grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "If you are locked in your tower, I shall open the door to save you."

"I'm not sure," Allura said, the memory fading from her mind. "He went to go get drinks a little while ago but I'm not sure where he went besides that."

Allura found herself to not be that eager to have Lotor join them. She liked hanging out with his friends. And...they gave her this weird chill. She didn't know why but she wished she could be like them and be so easy and calm about all of the relationship junk.

Not that she wasn't calm and easygoing with Lotor... It was just… relationships are hard.

"Where are Zethrid and Narti?" Allura asked, just to extend the conversation.

"Zethrid's working on the party lights and Narti is guarding the stuff," Acxa replied.

"Can we go meet up with them?" Allura wondered aloud. "Or are they too busy and would rather be left alone."

"Nah!" Ezor said, excitedly, "Let's go bother them!" She grabbed Acxa's wrist and bounded towards where the loud music was coming from.

Allura had to hurry to keep up as she dodged through the crowd until she finally came upon the DJ stand where Zethrid was busy fidgeting with the lighting. Zethrid wasn't dressed for the party really, but that was how she usually went. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a simple white t-shirt. Her shoulder length hair was pinned up so you could see that the underside was dyed pink.

She was grumbling in frustration while her girlfriend Narti comforted her by patting her shoulder. Allura had always found Narti to be interesting. She was always so quiet. She preferred to just listen to the world instead of projecting her sound into it. She was also wearing jeans and a simple tealish blouse. Her hair was dark but it was cut so short that it would be easy to think she was bald. She never wanted to have her hair cover her ears. At the moment, she had a white stick that was scrunched up in her belt. If she needed to go anywhere she could pull it out and extend it for use.

Allura knew that Narti much preferred to have her cat lead her around, but Kova didn't do well in large crowds with flashing lights.

"Hi Zethrid, Narti!" Allura greeted.

"Hello," Zethrid said excitedly in response. "How are you guys doing?" She leaned over to Narti and told her that Allura, Ezor, and Acxa were there.

Narti smiled and softly said, "Hello."

At first, it had unnerved Allura when Narti never looked at her. Narti's sort of mask had also unnerved her. She wore a sort of shapeless mask around her eyes so that no one could see them. As Zethrid had once told Allura when it was just the two of them, Narti had been badly burned by hot water near her eyes when she was younger and it had resulted in her blindness.

"Are you guys bored too?" Zethrid asked bluntly. "I feel like I've been programming different light patterns for the last century."

"Why don't you put it on loop and come hang out with us?" Acxa said. "We need to go find Lotor and then we'll have the whole group."

Zethrid smiled, but it was kind of sad, "I should really stay here, these light's need to stay party-esque. Narti, you can go, if you want."

Narti stood and walked over to Zethrid and then placed her hand on Zethrid's shoulder. "I'm not leaving without you and you could _really_ do with a break."

"Yeah!" Ezor agreed. "C'mon! It'll be fun to have the gang all together!"

Allura wondered if she was a part of this 'gang.' She always felt like she was on the outside no matter what she did.

Maybe it was because she didn't _fit_.

"Alright, alright," Zethrid agreed. "I'll come with you guys. Let me just program a loop of what I've already done."

"Yes!" Ezor shouted throwing her arms around Acxa, Zethrid, and Narti. "We get to all be together!"

She stopped and turned and noticed Allura. "Oh! And you get to be with us too!"

That made Allura feel a little better. She had been feeling very rejected as she listened to their conversation and couldn't really participate.

"How about the five of us go and find Lotor?" Acxa suggested.

Zethrid grabbed Narti's hand and pulled her to her feet. She stayed touching her shoulder while Narti extended her stick. "You don't have to hold me," Narti said softly.

"But what if I want to?" Zethrid answered, a smile playing on her otherwise straight face.

Allura smiled at them as she started to walk away with Ezor and Acxa with Narti and Zethrid close behind.

They found Lotor next to the punch stand talking with some of the other popular kids but, as soon as he saw Allura, he beamed brightly and walked over to her. He leaned down and gave her a quick kiss but Allura felt nothing from or behind it, then he wrapped his arm protectively around her shoulder. "Allura, what are you doing?" His tone was pleasant enough but Allura detected an underlying inquisitiveness that unsettled her.

"Ezor and Acxa came to talk to me and then we went to find Zethrid and Narti and then we went to find you," Allura said simply, leaning into Lotor to show that she was still there.

"Now we can get this party started!" Ezor said.

Allura watched as she grabbed Acxa's arm and pulled her onto the dance floor. Zethrid pulled Narti towards the side so they wouldn't run into anyone and then they started dancing together.

"Shall we dance as well?" Allura sked Lotor.

"I suppose," he said nonchalantly and then he smiled at her and said "I would love to."

They started dancing awkwardly within the crowd, not talking, just… being together. Still, Allura felt weird. She felt like she wasn't supposed to be there. She felt like… she shouldn't be there with… Lotor.

They moved for a while, barely talking and only dancing in awkward jerky motions. Soon, like at all parties, a slow song came on.

"May I have this dance, my princess?" Lotor asked bowing down and offering his hand.

Allura grabbed his hand with a smile and curtsied, playing the part of the princess.

She rested her hand on Lotor's shoulder and they started to spin in a relaxed and lazy circle.

As they spun, listening to the dull lullaby like beat of the slow song, Allura looked around at the other couples. She saw Ezor and Acxa grinning as they danced together, Ezor's dress swishing around in circles by Acxa's knees.

Allura's gaze moved to Zethrid and Narti and she saw that even they were dancing. Narti was smiling along with Zethrid as they moved in clumsy steps around the edge, though Allura suspected that most of the clumsiness was Zethrid's fault. As she watched, she saw Zethrid flush bright pink as she accidentally stepped on Narti's toes. Narti only laughed and held Zethrid up.

Allura couldn't help but smile at seeing them. Everytime she did, she felt a tug in her chest at how happy they were. She wished she could be like them. She wished she could… be happy like they were.

Was she happy with Lotor?

Why wouldn't she be?

He was kind and wonderful and he protected Allura.

But… he also didn't like her spending time with her D&D group.

Allura was suddenly aware of how intensely he was staring into her eyes. He was watching to see who she was looking at.

He was watching her.

Her palm grew sweaty in his hand. It burned like she was in the sun. She wanted to let go.

She didn't like the feeling of his silky purple shirt under her other hand. It felt stiff and clingy.

Suddenly, Allura felt altogether too warm.

She felt the air leaving her lungs. She was running out of breath.

She wanted to get away.

No, she _needed_ to get away.

"I… I think I'm going to be sick," Allura let go of Lotor's hands quickly and then turned around sharply. "I'll be back," She said as she left and rushed towards the bathroom.

As soon as she got inside, Allura locked the door and sat down on the closed toilet lid. She closed her eyes and put her head in her hands, focusing on her breathing.

 _In… two… three… four._

 _Out… two… three… four._

Allura repeated until finally her heartbeat slowed and she was able to take in a normal breath without feeling like her lungs were flat and unable to be filled. Allura sat up and looked around. She started taking in the bathroom's seashell decor to calm herself down. She noticed the blue accented tiles around the edge of the sink and the edge of the bathtub.

Allura stood up and turned on the cold water. She cupped it in her hand to splash onto her face. She breathed in sharply, the cold waking her up and jumpstarting her senses. She dried her face of water and sat back down. She didn't want to go out there yet.

 _KNOCK KNOCK_

Allura heard sharp banging on the door that caused her to jump and flinch at the sound.

"Allura?" Lotor's voice came through. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Just give me a minute," Allura replied trying to keep the annoyance out of her voice.

"Okay," Lotor said. "Come find me first thing when you come out."

Allura said nothing to that.

Then he was gone and Allura could only hear the dull thump of a beat from a new pop song coming on outside.

Gingerly, Allura pulled out her phone and checked to see if anyone had texted her. No one had.

She knew she needed someone _else_ to talk to, to distract her. But she didn't want to text in the group chat. She didn't want everyone asking what was wrong. …Or not asking what was wrong.

Instead, Allura texted Coran. He was always up late and he generally responded to her really quickly.

And… after she had lost her father, he had been there as a father-figure for her.

PrincessValayun: Hey, Coran! How did the game end?

Thank god Coran responded quickly

TheGorgeousMan: hello, princess! whats wrong?

Of course Coran would figure out that something was the matter. Why wouldn't he?

TheGorgeousMan: the game went fine. we defeated the skeledragon and got the loot but it was pretty uneventful.

PrincessValayun: Nothing's wrong Coran.

TheGorgeousMan: then why are you texting me and trying to sound so happy

PrincessValayun: I still wish I could have been there for the end of the game.

PrincessValayun: How can you tell my tone from a text?

TheGorgeousMan: i know and because i know you.

PrincessValayun: I just kind of want to leave. I don't like loud parties like this.

TheGorgeousMan: could i come get you?

PrincessValayun: No. I'm going to stay with them. I'll just leave soon.

TheGorgeousMan: the others missed you you know

PrincessValayun: They did?

TheGorgeousMan: yes. very much so.

That warmed Allura's heart. Her friends cared for her. They wanted her company. They missed her when she was gone for six minutes.

PrincessValayun: Thank you, Coran.

TheGorgeousMan: anytime princess.

Allura felt a light in her chest. Coran had responded immediately when she needed to talk and he had told her that her friends had missed her.

Allura was glad that she had such good friends and such a good Uncle figure in her life.

She took a deep breath, splashed some more water on her face and then steeled herself for going out. Right before she opened the door she heard a knock.

She was about to open it and let whoever needed to use the restroom use it… but then she hesitated. _She_ wanted to be the one to find Lotor. She didn't want him to be in her face, no matter how sweet that would be. "Allura?" she heard, Immediately panicking that it was Lotor… but the voice was higher pitched than Lotor's. "Are you in there? Are you okay? It's me, Ezor."

Allura opened to door to let her in before closing it again.

"Are you okay?" Ezor repeated.

"Yeah," Allura said, "Where's Acxa?"

"Talking to Lotor to cover for both of us," Ezor replied, her normally smiling face was bent in a frown. "So, what's up?" She leaned back against the counter with her hands on the edge.

Allura frowned slightly, "Nothing's wrong."

Ezor gave her that ' _Oh, really?'_ face and then stared her down until Allura caved.

"Lotor has just been seeming _so_ protective lately. He's… clingy."

Ezor frowned which startled Allura because she wasn't used to seeing her mouth downturned. "Yeah, I've noticed that," she said.

"Is there something I should say to him?" Allura asked. "Or something I should do?"

Ezor sighed, "Honestly, I think that you either need to _seriously_ talk to Lotor or…"

"Or what?" Allura asked.

"Nothing," Ezor said.

There was a long pause that somehow wasn't awkward.

"How did you and Acxa... get together?" Allura asked after a time.

Ezor sat back, a pleasant smile returning to her face. "We had been friends for a long time, the five of us. I had always thought that Acxa was adorable but she just _wouldn't_ smile. So I made it my goal to make her smile. It started with the little things I did. The small jokes I would make. Then it moved to lightly poking her side. Then she started to confide in me more and more. I came out to her and she came out to me and before I knew it, she was shyly asking me out. I just wanted to make her smile more and more. I still do."

"That's so sweet!" Allura cried.

"How about you and Lotor?" Ezor asked.

Allura's light mood immediately soured. "He started working with me in my class and he would compliment me on my good work. I guess we grew close and then he asked and I said yes. It wasn't anything major or adorable like your story was."

"Oh," Ezor said quietly.

"Do… do you think it would be rude if I asked Lotor if we could leave soon?" Allura asked. "I would just like to do some homework before it gets to be too late."

"Yeah!" Ezor agreed. "I concur. I think we shouldn't stay too late or we'll get bored and honestly, I don't know how Narti can stand it. All of the noise. She doesn't have the sights to go with it but that sound must just be cacophonous to her."

"So how about we hang out together for another fifteen or so before leaving?" Allura asked.

"I like that plan," Ezor smiled. "Let's get back out there."

Allura opened the door and they walked out together, ignoring the couple of people who glanced at them curiously. When Lotor saw them, his face first twisted into a scowl and then corrected into a wide grin.

"Allura!" He said going up to her and hugging her. He held her face long enough to kiss her. Allura hated that dull feeling she felt and had always felt with Lotor.

"Are you feeling okay?" he asked.

Allura had the strength to take a deep breath and smile, "Yes. I'm okay now." Allura said.

"Good," Lotor said.

Allura looked over at where Acxa and Ezor had started talking to Narti and Zethrid. Zethrid had her arm protectively around Narti and Ezor was holding Acxa's hand.

They all fit so well together and they were so adorable.

Allura wished she could have a relationship like they have.

Instead, Allura stayed with Lotor, holding his hand as they danced through another song and then sat on the sidelines for another two songs talking with Lotor's friends. Allura had looked at Ezor and, when she caught Allura's eye, she had nodded and winked at her before saying, "Hey, guys? It's getting kind of late." She had stretched her arms above her head and yawned slightly. "I'm thinking of heading home. Acxa, is it okay if I take you home now?"

Acxa had nodded saying that she was ready to leave as well.

"Yeah," Zethrid had agreed. "I'm pretty beat. How about you, Narti?"

"Yes, I'm tired as well," she had said.

"I think we should all head home," Allura agreed, standing up as the others had. "Lotor?"

Lotor had sighed and then smiled at her, "Yes. We can leave."

They all said their goodbyes and then headed off to their cars. On the drive back to her apartment, Allura and Lotor had barely spoken at all. What was there to talk about? Allura didn't really want to bring anything up when she wasn't really prepared for how he would respond.

When they reached her apartment, Lotor parked the car and got out. "Let me walk you up."

Allura looked up at the two flights of stairs between her and her apartment. "No, I'm fine."

"But… a lot could happen to you," Lotor protested.

Allura rolled her eyes. "I am perfectly able to walk up stairs by myself, thank you very much."

Lotor stared at her. Watching her. Analyzing if she would be okay. Finally, Allura turned to go and Lotor mumbled a 'fine' under his breath. She could still feel him watching her as she climbed the steps, but at least he wasn't walking behind her.

It was such a relief to make it to her apartment and just be able to… relax. She hadn't felt able to calm down all night.

Ezor was right. She needed to talk to Lotor or something.

Allura wandered into her room and flopped onto the bed, barely wanting to move to get changed, but she did, tiredly, and then she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

* * *

Note: So… If it isn't obvious, I never really shipped Lotura and sorta decided that Lotor should be Not Good for Allura. Lotor isn't a bad person, he's just a bit over controlling and possessive and Allura wants more independence.

(I actually really like Lotor in the series, I just don't like Lotura. I probably would have given Lotor more redemption later. He's actually one of my favorite characters. )

I was planning to have a chapter where Hunk and Shay (together as a couple) baked cookies and talked about how to break the news to Allura.

Then they would go to her with the cookies and the small band of chosen to talk to her and she would agree with them that she should break up with him.

Over the rest of the series we had planned to have Allura have a "bi awakening" and fall for Romelle.

I also want to state that I do know Ezor and Zethrid are practically canon lesbians and I Love them, but I wrote this more than a year ago and didn't know who was shipped with who, and it was too difficult to change them around. If I just changed their names, then Acxa was really out of character and that wasn't really fair so I decided to just leave it as it was.


	6. The Helpless Holts

Chat: " **me" created by BabadookIsAGayIdol**

BabadookIsAGayIdol: *has sent a picture*

BabadookIsAGayIdol: this is me

CinnamonRoll: Keith… why did you send a picture of trash

FucktheBinary: same

OnStandBi: dude. relatable.

CinnamonRoll: Is this another one of those things that I don't understand and just want to give all of you guys hugs for?

FucktheBinary: yes.

OnStandBi: proably

OnStandBi: Keith, why did you send that though

OnStandBi: was it just because you thought of it

OnStandBi: or just because?

FucktheBinary: big mood

BabadookIsAGayIdol: I was expressing myself

TheGorgeousMan: ahh i sea evrifone iS relatteang tooo trash

TheGorgeousMan: i to relattte to trash

FucktheBinary: where the fuck is matt

FucktheBinary: he needs to see this glorious picture

BabadookIsAGayIdol: shiro too

CinnamonRoll: Why?

PrincessValayun: ooh! Everyone is trash! Yes!

-Allura has changed the chat name to **We are all Trash** -

CinnamonRoll: Allura?

PrincessValayun: oh. Whoop. Forgot hunk was here.

-Allura has changed the chat name to **We are all Trash minus Hunk-**

CinnamonRoll: Well, thank you, Allura. But… you guys aren't trash either.

FucktheBinary: we are.

OnStandBi: Hunk, buddy, you know me.

-Hunk has changed the chat name to **Cinnamon roll army-**

FucktheBinary: BWAHAHAHAH

FucktheBinary: Hunk

FucktheBinary: hunk you should know

FucktheBinary: we are not cinnomon rolls

BabadookIsAGayIdol: that died when I was born

OnStandBi: eh. I lasted through about middleschool

PrincessValayun: freshman yr hs

CinnamonRoll: What in the world are you guys talking about?

CinnamonRoll: I feel like this is a "when I lost my innocence" conversation.

TheGorgeousMan: nah. were jsut talllkjng about wehen wii becakme trash

-Pidge has changed the chat name to **sinnamon roll trash** -

OnStandBi: high five pidge

LordPythagoras: Hello? Trash has summoned me

FucktheBinary: yeet

LordPythagoras: and Pidge not ceasing to text me the letter q until I arrived

BabadookIsAGayIdol: why the letter q

FucktheBinary: why not the letter q

LordPythagoras: I relate to all this mood.

BabadookIsAGayIdol: I give you to the count of three

OnStandBi: keith?

OnStandBi: keith buddy? You okay?

BabadookIsAGayIdol: 3

DeadInside: Okay, fine. I'm here.

FucktheBinary: yay

OnStandBi: fantasy dad

PrincessValayun: the only adulting adult

TheGorgeousMan: i am no audolt ands i wiill Be nnot adoltung when I shuld bee

CinnamonRoll: Hi, Shiro.

FucktheBinary: Well, Matt? Are you going to say hi?

LordPythagoras: hi shiro

DeadInside: Hi.

OnStandBi: Alright, what's up.

FucktheBinary: Ya what's been going on?

LordPythagoras: What do you mean?

CinnamonRoll: Yeah, what do you mean, Pidge?

FucktheBinary: THOSE two know exactly what I mean.

BabadookIsAGayIdol: Come on. The siblings can tell.

OnStandBi: oooh. All of us teamin gup. Hunk join.

CinnamonRoll: What am I joining?

PrincessValayun: I think it may be some kind of cult?"

FucktheBinary: Cult cult cult cult cult

FucktheBinary: tell tell tell tell tell

LordPythagoras: no no no no no

BabadookIsAGayIdol: well, shiro?

FucktheBinary: I still have more balckmail.

FucktheBinary: I have so much blackmail.

FucktheBinary: so much.

TheGorgeousMan: beleive tHeem. THey kan ruhin yuu

CinnamonRoll: I believe that everyone in the current group is well aware of that.

OnStandBi: yeah. we have all sufrerd the wrath of the pidgeon

OnStandBi: Matt?

OnStandBi: Shiro?

OnStandBi: feel like talking to us

BabadookIsAGayIdol: or you could just talk to the siblings individually

BabadookIsAGayIdol: that would work too.

BabadookIsAGayIdol: shiro

FucktheBinary: MAtt you beetter get the fuck over om this chat

BabadookIsAGayIdol: Shiro. Are you going to return or what

CinnamonRoll: the difference in those responses.

PrincessValayun: I think they both left.

FucktheBinary: Shit. That means my blackmail won't be mearly effective enough

FucktheBinary: GET OVER HERe

FucktheBinary: MATTT

OnStandBi: Pidge, I don't think that he is coming.

BabadookIsAGayIdol: oh they will

FucktheBinary: whelp they deserve this

PrincessValayun: Blackmail! Blackmail!

TheGorgeousMan: balackmaial balcamil

OnStandBi: HUZZAH. Blackmail

 ***Pidge has sent an image***

 ***Pidge has sent an image***

BabadookIsAGayIdol: Oh my god

BabadookIsAGayIdol: I had forgotten about that.

OnStandBi: The beauty.

CinnamonRoll: was that the day that the school held a bake sale and Pidge bought cupcakes and smashed them on our heads?

FucktheBinary: yup

PrincessValayun: I didn't even know I needed to see Shiro with a purple cupcake on his head until I just did see it.

PrincessValayun: it is so amazing.

TheGorgeousMan: htat waFucktas a god daiyyy

TheGorgeousMan: Theee kisds wer a mses

BabadookIsAGayIdol: Shiro came back later and told me aboutit and how sticky he was and how pissed off he was.

FucktheBinary: yeah. That was great.

OnStandBi: I wish we would do more stuff like that. That was fun. W edont' do as much random shit as we used to.

LordPythagoras: Pidge, Really? COme on. Can you just leave us alone? I had to go to a class and I come back to embarrassing photos.

DeadInside: Matt just told me what happened and, really Pidge? You can't use blackmail to get everything you want. Sometimes you need to act your age or just let things be.

FucktheBinary: Wow. Um. I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. Matt, I'll, uh, I'll talk to you later.

FucktheBinary: Shit. I guess that was really horrible.

LordPythagoras: at least you realize it. Now please, just let us be.

DeadInside: We both have to sit through this class before we can talk any more.

DeadInside: And before you start sending a bunch of pictures and stuff, please consider being a bit nicer.

BabadookIsAGayIdol: Shiro, we are all really sorry. We shouldn't have used you guys, either of you, like that.

PrincessValayun: Yeah. WE shouldn't Make stuff like this into a joke. Sorry, Shiro, Matt.

CinnamonRoll: Let's never let something like this happen again.

TheGorgeousMan: Yeah. Agreed. Sorry, to both of you.

OnStandBi: Matt, Shiro, I am really sorry. None of us meant to hurt you like that. We really didn't think through our actions and we are genuinely sorry for that. All of are.

LordPythagoras: thanks for the apologies I guess. Talk to you guys later.

DeadInside: Just please don't let something like that happen again.

FucktheBinary: Yeah. I promise. I won't let something like that happen again. I won't use pictures to get what I want, too.

LordPythagoras: thanks, Pidge.

* * *

Pidge~

Pidge dawdled through the hallways before arriving at the D&D classroom. They knew that it was stupid but they were completely avoiding Matt.

Pidge felt absolutely awful about having messed with Matt and Shiro like that. Matt had already seemed kind of sulky when Pidge had arrived back at home after the 'onion date.'

They had been expecting some excited chatter from Matt about how amazing Shiro was etc. etc. but instead, all they got was a closed door and Matt glaring at them whenever he and Pidge made eye contact.

Pidge sighed, having arrived at the D&D classroom and knowing that they should go inside. They loved D&D. They had loved it for years ever since Matt had started playing and had introduced them to it. That is, after Pidge had complained that it was too nerdy.

Now, they loved it and always looked forward to the meetings that the group held on Wednesdays.

The door opened with a gentle shove and Pidge pushed their way inside, trying to be as discreet as possible.

So of course the whole group was already there, noticed them in an instant, and grew deathly quiet.

Pidge honestly wanted to curl into themself and hide. Pidge felt _so awful_ about sending those pictures. As soon as that text from Matt had come through, Pidge's mind was a constant line of _fuck fuck fuck why the fuck did I do that? Did I go too far? I fucked up so completely, didn't I?_

Pidge swallowed and tried to give the group a weak smile as they took their seat.

Next to them, Matt sighed, staring down at his hands which were folded together on the tabletop.

"Alright," Coran said in his usual loud voice. Still, it seemed to be lacking some of its bravado. "I need to finish setting up some things before we can get started. Give me five minutes."

Pidge leaned over to Matt, half ignoring what Coran was saying and not really caring. The dejected look on Matt's face and the tension that was building between them was just too much. It was driving Pidge insane.

"Matt?" Pidge whispered, their voice sounding quiet and fragile.

"Mm?" Matt responded, not looking at them.

"Look, I'm sorry," Pidge sighed, genuinely meaning it. "I didn't even think about what I was doing and now I feel awful about it."

Matt nodded politely. "Thank you. I am glad that you apologized."

Pidge thought about it, their mind rumbling with different thoughts, "So… are you still mad at me?"

Matt sighed, looking Pidge in the eyes for the first time during their conversation, "Yeah, a little. Right now, those pictures were really kind of hurtful to see sent and joked about. I know that you had good intentions and sending old memory pictures is what you do, but sometimes those pictures can be really hurtful."

"Yes," Pidge agreed, smiling. "I understand. I… I won't send any pictures for quite a while. At least no embarrassing ones."

"And you should apologize to Shiro, too," Matt said wistfully.

"Yes, and I will," Pidge promised, "But first, as your younger sibling, I have to ask, Are you doing okay?"

Matt's eyes moved across to where Shiro was sitting, talking lightly to Keith and Lance. "Yeah," Matt sighed.

"I don't believe you," Pidge argued. "But I won't pressure you and I'll keep you at your word. So if you say you are fine, I'll leave you alone. If you say 'no not really' then I will help in any way I can. Are you doing okay?"

Matt smirked, "This is so unlike the Pidge that I'm used to."

Pidge whacked their shoulder, "Yeah, don't get used to it. Now answer the damn question."

"Well… Okay, No. We're not doing well. But don't bother interfering because we'll figure it out."

"Will you?" Pidge asked softly.

"Yes. At some point," Matt told them.

"Alright. Well, know that I'll be here for you if you want, you nerd."

"Wow," Matt smirked, "And now the moment's gone."

"What did you expect?" Pidge joked, "I can only keep up my sincerity for a short period of time. '

"Thank you," Matt said, wrapping his arm around Pidge to give them a half hug. Pidge accepted, if only somewhat reluctantly.

"Aww!" Lance smiled, having noticed them. "Sibling bonding time!"

Everyone else turned to look at them as Pidge jumped back from Matt as quickly as they could.

"So cute!" Hunk commented.

"Ha ha," Pidge muttered, "Very funny."

"Now I'm ready," Coran told the group, his voice booming and quieting everyone immediately. "Let's get this party rolling!"

"Can we just skip to the part where we are _out_ of the cave," Allura pleaded with Coran before they started.

"Sure, why not," he lamented. "I suppose that you guys have been punished enough for sleeping through my class."

"Huzzah," Lance mumbled half-heartedly. "We don't have to go through that maze again,"

"So you arrive on the surface of the world to find that it's twilight with the sun setting in the west and long shadows being cast from the trees nearby," Coran described to them.

"Hallelujah," Shiro murmured, "Land. Sweet, sweet, above-ground land."

"Seconded," Hunk agreed.

"So we should probably take this ring to a town and see if we can find any useful information out," Matt told everyone.

"Sounds good to me," Lance agree. "Let's get out of here before we fall through the roof and into that maze."

They all rolled their dice and began moving towards the nearest town to them.

"Upon arrival," Coran narrated, "You see a large archway that labels the town for you while there is almost no one inside of the town. Mostly everyone seemed to be indoors, asleep for the late night. It is well past midnight."

"But I bet the bar is still open!" Lance declared requesting that they head there.

Everyone sighed, preparing for the same spiel that they were used to.

Coran inhaled deeply as though he were about to give another long winded description of the bar. "You walk inside to find… " pause for effect, "Nothing!"

"What." Allura said plainly into the stunned silence of the group.

"Nothing," Coran, ever so helpfully clarified. "Nadda, zilch, zero. No humans. No food or drinks or life. Just an empty bar, filled with nothing."

"Very helpful," Pidge said dryly, rolling their eyes. They knew that something was off but without being able to see the bar for themself… it was hard to figure _what_ was wrong.

"Duh," Lance replied. "Coran is the absolute _best_ at giving us _all_ of the answers and _not_ putting us through annoying mazes that last for _forever_."

"Lance," Coran told him, "I can still make you suffer, if I want."

Lance scowled at him.

"So… just everyone's gone?" Keith asked quietly.

"You can go investigate."

"Or!" Lance said excitedly, "Coran, you can be that super nice answer-giver who always gives us all of the answers! Maybe?"

"BWAHAHA!" Coran bellowed laughing. "Like I'd ever do that!"

"Fine," Lance sighed, falling back into his chair.

"Aw," Keith said sarcastically. "Poor Lance has to work for a moment."

Lance stuck his tongue out childishly at Keith.

"Let's check behind the bar," Shiro said, the ever reasonable one.

So the group investigated behind the bar. Coran asked them to all roll their perception to see if they would discover the object and, sure enough… "On the floor," Coran narrated, "You see a small scuff mark on the ground… followed by another and another leading into a backroom."

"Let's go in," Pidge declared. The others agreed and they decided to proceed with caution, waiting to see how everything would turn out.

Even though they were just sitting around a table, they were all holding their breaths as their characters continued on into the dark room.

"There's a chain above your head…" Coran told them and Hunk decided to reach up and pull it, hoping that he didn't experience a Home Alone moment.

"A single light bulb cast faintly golden glows over the room," Coran said ominously, leaning close to the table, "And, in the darkness, you begin to see a shape…"

"Come onnnnn!" Lance whined. "Just tell us what it is already."

"At first you think it is a body, but then you notice the rough hands and the greying tinge to the skin and how ridgid the body is. You look closer and find that it is just a grey statue… that looks just a bit too familiar…"

"The barkeeper," Hunk called, guessing the outcome.

Coran turned to glare at him. "INDEED. You see a perfect stone replica of the bar keeper with a old and ruined piece of paper attached to its head, fluttering in the breeze from behind you."

"Anime wind," Matt sighed.

"Can we read the paper?" Pidge asked dryly.

"Well which one of you wants to pick it up and read it?" Coran asked.

"Fine," Pidge muttered, "I reach out and snatch the paper before anyone else can and aggressively start reading it. What does it say?"

" _If you ever want to see your friends again,"_ Coran said in a high squeaky voice, " _Then you must meet me below the Olkarie mountains for our final confrontation. I will be waiting! Mwahahaha."_

"My character wouldn't have read that as an actual laugh," Pidge said, raising an eyebrow, "I would have said 'Mwa. ha. Ha. ha. Ha.' slowly and dryly to see if anyone reacted."

There was a pause of silence before everyone broke into laughter.

"Okay, then," Shiro said, still smiling, "I suppose that it is time that we get to the Olkarie mountains."

Pidge was kind of proud of themself that they had dispersed some of the tension in the room and gotten things back to the way they used to be.

"Shouldn't you look for more clues…?" Coran suggested. "Like maybe a… k…" he trailed off, letting him finish the word.

Everyone rolled perception and Hunk managed a Natural 20. "What? Why me again? I don't want to go searching the creepy dark room!"

"Well, you have to," Allura told him plainly.

"Ugh, fine," Hunk muttered. "Alright, Coran! What am I doing?" he asked, his voice back to normal Hunk-cheeriness.

* * *

Note: and here's where I stopped writing. I was hoping in the rest of this chapter (Hunk would find a key) and they would progress further in the D&D story though I honestly didn't have that part planned out and I don't know where it was going. I was going to spoof the Monsters and Mana episode by having them find whoever petrified Hunk's hometown etc.

As for the characters in their lives outside of D&D, Pidge was going to pull Shiro to the side and apologize and we'd have a nice DadShiro! Plus angsty child bonding moment. After that, Pidge would allude to Shiro trying to help Matt feel better.

Later, Matt and Shiro would talk and would be adults about everything and it wouldn't be all that big of a deal and they would go on a second date where they got together.

Yay!

So from this point on, our Onion Bfs, Shiro and Matt are going to be in a relationship.


	7. Shiro,,, Shiro,,,,, and another Shiro?

Note: This was literally bs my friend and I decided would be a fun joke to write. Whelp. Here ya go.

* * *

Shiro~

Shiro hadn't been paying attention in Statistics again. He rarely ever did. The class had always been kind of dull and boring.

Not that their teacher, Dr. Slav (who apparently had 12 PhDs or something), was all that boring. He could be. He could become so boring that Shiro was ready to bang his head on the desk. But he could also be kind of entertaining in his quirky ways. He was short with dyed white hair (that always had one longer strand dyed blue hanging by the side of his face), darker skin, big round glasses, and faint whispy hairs that Shiro supposed qualified as a beard. He was twitchy at times and could startle easily but he also had this spider-like grace where he could climb onto anything and move around things with impeccable precision.

Despite Dr. Slav's interesting quirks, he talked too much about realities and the future and sometimes his accent was hard to understand.

Still, he wasn't the reason that Shiro wasn't paying attention in class. Shiro was too caught up talking to Matt and watching Matt.

He was so happy that they were finally together. And Matt was just so flustered and sweet all of the time. Shiro loved it. He loved every minute of it.

So he hadn't been paying much attention when the doors opened and two new kids walked in.

He hadn't noticed until Matt breathed in sharply and whacked Shiro's arm.

"What?" Shiro asked suddenly.

"He… he really does look like you!" Matt whispered loudly.

"What?" Shiro said, sitting up but not looking around.

"So you see those two talking to Dr. Slav?" Matt asked, nervously pointing at the two of them. Shiro turned his head around and saw the backs of two young men's heads. One with brown hair and one with white hair. "The brown haired one with the glasses, he stopped me this morning right after you left to go to astronomy. He asked me if I knew where his fiancé had gone and I just shrugged at him and went to go towards my class when he stopped me again and told me that his fiancé looked exactly like the man I was talking to, aka, you, but with all white hair."

"Well," Shiro prompted, "What did you say?"

"I told him that I had no idea and left."

"Okay…." Shiro murmured, "So… does he look like me?"

At that moment, Dr. Slav climbed (not very gracefully) up onto the top of the stool he usually taught from, folding his hands together and clearing his throat to get the classes attention. "Class? Class? I have an important announcement to make. We have two new foreign exchange students. This here is Adam," he gestured to the guy with glasses and short brown hair who waved and muttered a quiet 'hi.' "And this is Tadashi," Slav told them as he pointed to a guy who looks eerily like Shiro, save for his white hair and different looking prosthetic. _He even has a prosthetic right arm and a scar across his nose?_ Shiro thought nervously.

"I don't know why but your seats are going to be back over there," Slav gestured to where Shiro and Matt were sitting. "I just think that is the best outcome for this new arrangement." He narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "At least for most of us to make it out of here alive."

" _Shiro_ ," Matt hissed, "They are coming over here. Do you think that they noticed? What's going to happen? Are we going to have a battle of the dopplegangers?"

"Shush, Matt," Shiro hissed gently, "They are almost here."

"Umm…. Tadashi," Adam said nervously, stopping dead in his tracks, "So…. am I right? Doesn't that guy look like you?"

"He...he does!" Tadashi said.

"Okay, what's going on here?" Shiro asked suddenly, "You look like me, and that's just weird, and you are named after one of my favorite characters of all time if not my favorite character ever."

"Cool…" Tadashi said. "I honestly have no clue why we look so much alike. It's really creepy though."

"Yes, yes it is," Matt assured them.

"So what's your name, non-Tadashi?" Adam asked Shiro.

"I'm Takashi Shirogane. But you can call me Shiro," Shiro told them.

Tadashi's mouth dropped wide. "What? I'm Tadashi Kurogane!"

"Weeeeird," Matt commented.

Adam and Tadashi nodded as they took their seats behind Matt and Shiro.

Shiro tried to focus on Dr. Slav's lecture, he really did, but he was too focused on the knowledge that someone who looked way too much like him was staring at the back of his head.

Soon enough, the bell rang and it was time for them to go to their next class. Matt promised Shiro that he would be over later to tutor him since he had caught barely more than a few broken words from Dr. Slav's lecture.

Shiro told him thanks and to head to his next class. There was something that Shiro wanted to do. Adam, as well as Matt, walked out of the classroom as one of the last people to leave.

The only people left were Tadashi and Shiro.

Shiro wanted to be nice. He wanted to ask about Tadashi's prosthetic arm and see what similarities there were between the two of them.

But he felt weird talking to what seemed like a mirror image of himself. A weird messed up mirror image.

Tadashi went up to Dr. Slav's desk to ask him for notes on any of the previous lectures that he and Adam might have missed during the unit. Shiro couldn't help but pause as he stared at Tadashi. He just… looked so similar to Shiro it was freaking him out.

Just then, the door burst open and one of the other teachers who Shiro vaguely knew walked in.

"Yoo-hoo!" He greeted, smiling.

Dr. Slav looked up and grinned widely, almost shyly. "Sven! How are you? Taking care?"

"Slav," the teacher- Sven- said as he walked closer to Dr. Slav's desk, "I just saw you an hour or two ago."

Dr. Slav stumbled out from behind his desk and over to where Sven was. He reached up and cupped Sven's face in his spindly hands. He turned Sven's head from side to side, inspecting him. "Hmm. I think you're good."

"That's good," Sven told him, picking Dr. Slav up and starting to spin him around. Shiro couldn't help but start to blush at the sudden display of affection between the two teachers. He noticed that Tadashi was looking down awkwardly as well.

Shiro had had no idea that Dr. Slav was in a relationship with someone. He just didn't seem like the type of person to really find someone who fit him.

"Sven! Put me down! I don't want to knock something over," Dr. Slav protested.

Sven slowed his spin but was still lifted Dr. Slav up. Sven looked pensive for a moment and then he leaned over to Dr. Slav and kissed him lightly. "Alright. Now I will set you down."

Aaand, Shiro had never thought he would see his teacher kissing another teacher nor had he thought he would see his teacher blushing. It was quite the surreal experience.

Dr. Slav paused, staring at Sven for a moment longer before he turned back to where Tadashi was still standing by the desk.

"Plus, Sven, I still have students here."

Tadashi scrambled to get the papers he was holding in some kind of order and held them out to Dr. Slav who walked over and took the papers, talking to Tadashi about some of the work that he had to do to catch up.

Sven walked over to where Shiro was still putting his bag together before heading out.

"How are you?" Sven asked pleasantly.

Shiro shrugged awkwardly, wanting to move away from Sven. He had never had Sven as a teacher, but it was still weird to have him in the classroom. In fact, Shiro felt that it was almost more weird to have a teacher he didn't know in the room than a teacher he did know.

"How are you?" Shiro asked, returning the question because he knew it was polite to do so.

"I'm doing swell!" Sven answered, in his heavily accented voice.

And then there was more awkward silence between the two of them while they listened to Tadashi and Dr. Slav talk. Shiro knew that there was nothing tying him to the room and that he could leave at any time, but he felt glued to the spot, unable to force himself out of the door.

Tadashi was nodding and, afterwards, said a quick "thanks" to Dr. Slav before he headed back to his desk which had his few things still there.

Suddenly, Dr. Slav gasped loudly.

"OH MY GOD!" He exclaimed. All of them snapped their head in his direction and stared at him. Dr. Slav's eyes were wide in shock and he had a hand clasped over his mouth.

"Slav," Sven said softly, taking a step towards him, "Are you okay? What's going on?"

Shakily, Dr. Slav pointed at and between the three of them.

They all looked between each other trying to find whatever ghost or something that was drawing Dr. Slav's attention to them.

"No no," Dr. Slav said panicky, "Not around you, but _you_. _You three_."

Shiro glanced between the three of them, trying to find some kind of correlation.

"I cannot believe that I hadn't noticed it sooner… and with the newest one…" he gasped again.

"Slav," Sven said firmly, "how about you tell me what's going on so that I can help you?"

"But don't you see?" Dr. Slav asked.

"No, no I do not," Sven affirmed.

"You three, are three of the same people from different realities!"

All three of them sighed. Shiro and Tadashi picked up their bags and started heading towards the door.

Sven started to move closer to where Dr. Slav was still standing by the desk. "Slav," he said softly, "I completely agree with your theory of other realities, but do you really think it is accurate to assume that three people from differing realities all joined together managed to meet in one location?"

"It is a miracle!" Dr. Slav cried excitedly, grabbing Sven's arm and pulling him towards where Tadashi and Shiro were trying to edge their way out of the classroom.

Dr. Slav dropped Sven's hand to grab Tadashi and Shiro's. Shiro looked forlornly out at the door. How he wanted to escape….

"If we get the three Svens," Shrio and Tadashi glanced at each other in annoyance over being referred to as alternate Svens, "to all hold hands with each other, then maybe something will happen," Slav announced as he brought their hands closer together.

"Slav," Sven protested lightly.

"Um, I need to get back to Adam," Tadashi said, trying to pull away while looking at the door. "He's probably worried wondering where I am…"

"And I need to get back to Matt—" Shiro started to object before Slav interrupted him.

"Nope, this first."

And with that he thrust their hands together in a three hand high five type thing.

"Wait," Slav said slowly, staring at their hands like something monumental was about to transpire.

Nothing happened.

"Okay…" Tadashi said slowly, pulling his hand away. "Nice to meet you. I really appreciate that, um, doppelganger love there." He pointed between Slav and Sven, "And you two are really cute, by the way. Are you married or just dating?" he said conversationally as he started heading out the door.

"Yes!" Sven cried excitedly. "We have been married for a couple of years!"

Shiro nodded slowly. "But… do you have rings?"

"Yes!" Sven enthused, showing the silver band around his ring finger.

"I wear mine around my neck," Slav told them pulling out a simple leather cord with a black ring with blue crystals inlaid in it all the way around.

"That's so pretty," Shiro told him. "Why do you keep it hidden away?"

"Because he doesn't like to draw attention to it," Sven answered wrapping his arms around Slav and resting his head on top of Slav's. "I like to think that that makes him mine and no one else's."

Shiro nodded, though he didn't really understand what Sven was talking about.

"Nice, nice," Tadashi said, nodding. "Well, nice meeting you. Nice talking and… all of that. I'm gonna go find my fiance` Adam…"

And with that he turned around to leave.

Shiro smiled for a moment and then did a double take in his mind.

 _Tadashi and Adam are engaged?_

He wondered if it was obvious and he had just missed it, or if it really was discrete like Slav was.

Shiro shook his head, deciding he would rather escape than have to awkwardly make conversation with the two of them.

"Hey… um… I'm going to head out… too," Shiro said awkwardly.

"Alright," Dr. Slav said, hearing him and sighing. "Later, I will do experiments with the dopplegangers."

"Yay!" Sven said excitedly. "I would like to be experimented on! … but only by you, Slav." Sven said, lowering his voice.

Dr. Slav blinked and then buried his head in his arm. "Sven!" He cried, blushing.

"What!?" Sven asked innocently.

"Okay…" Shiro muttered, weirded out and feeling very awkward about… everything. "I'm going to just…"

Quietly he picked up his bag and scuttled out of the room, rounding the corner without looking where he was going.

"OOFFF!" Shiro grunted as he ran into someone and fell backwards, hard.

"Sorry!" Shiro spluttered, still trying to regain the breath that was knocked out of him. "Sorry, sorry sorry!"

He heard a light chuckling in front of him and opened his eyes to find Matt sitting on the ground, rubbing his back where he had hit the wall. "No big deal…" he winced, also gasping for breath. He reached into his bag on the ground next to him and took out his inhaler.

Shiro winced. "Matt! I'm so sorry! Are you okay!"

"Yeah, yeah," Matt muttered, putting the inhaler back in his bag. I just got a little winded is all.

Shiro nodded and scooted closer to him, swinging his backpack off of his shoulder. He wrapped an arm around Matt and kissed the side of his head lightly.

"I'm sorry, Matt," Shiro said again. "I never wanted to hurt you."

Matt leaned into Shiro despite protesting that he wasn't hurt.

They sat together for a moment, catching their breath and rubbing the sore places on their bodies.

"THERE YOU ARE!" Pidge shouted from across the hall, marching up to them. "When you didn't show up for lunch we thought that you guys went to go hide and scar some mops and cleaning supplies, if you know what I mean," they said, wiggling their eyebrows suggestively.

Shiro looked at Matt who had a matching expression of both being dead and disgusted.

"Pidge…" Shiro murmured.

"Why?" Matt asked, his tone equally flat and monotone.

Pidge smirked, cackling to themself. "Because you two are the funniest people to tease."

Shiro shook his head, standing up and hen extending his hand down to help Matt get up. "Yeah, yeah," Shiro grumbled.

"What?" Pidge asked defensively. "I'm just having some fun with my favorite aces! I mean, we have to keep our ace squad alive."

"We'll make a club," Matt said dryly.

"Yes!" Pidge agreed, wrapping their arms around Matt and Shiro's necks despite being way shorter than them. "We'll call it 'Ace up our sleeves' and people will think we're magicians or something."

"Amazing," Shiro muttered.

* * *

Note: And this is total shit that my friends and I created to make fun of the fact that we ship all of these and _why not have two shiro clones named after a fictional character and a name that sounds like Kuron?_

I don't know what relevance this has to the actual story. I guess nothing. But designing HumanSlav was really fun.


	8. Friends

OnStandBi: *Lance has sent a picture*

OnStandBi: hi.

OnStandBi: is anyo ne here.

OnStandBi: its been 30 min

OnStandBi: where the fuck is everyone

OnStandBi: come behold my meme.

OnStandBi: be hold my meme

BabadookIsAGayIdol: Lance…. Wtf dude. You have just been texting me.

OnStandBi: wat

BabadookIsAGayIdol: ya. Wrong chat.

OnStandBi: oh

OnStandBi: well, hows my least favo rite mullet doing

BabadookIsAGayIdol: how many mullets do you know?

BabadookIsAGayIdol: I mean people with mullets.

OnStandBi: uh. Just you.

BabadookIsAGayIdol: so then how can I be your least favorite

OnStandBi: …

OnStandBi: fine.

OnStandBi: you are ok

BabadookIsAGayIdol: just okay?

BabadookIsAGayIdol: Lance?

 **Onion Bfs**

OnStandBi: *Lance has sent a picture*

OnStandBi: You guys like my meme?

BabadookIsAGayIdol: dude

OnStandBi: its a pretty great meme.

BabadookIsAGayIdol: dude

BabadookIsAGayIdol: wtf. You just left.

OnStandBi: um no. im right here.

CinnamonRoll: I don't know what is happening but that meme is really funny. :')

OnStandBi: Thank you, buddy.

FucktheBinary: Meh.

FucktheBinary: seen it. And better.

DeadInside: I… don't get it?

BabadookIsAGayIdol: can I pet you, old man?

LordPythagoras: Shiro is only six. Remember.

LordPythagoras: And how do you not get it

LordPythagoras: you look up memes all of the time.

DeadInside: No. I don't.

BabadookIsAGayIdol: You do.

DeadInside: *Has sent a pic*

FucktheBinary: PROOF

LordPythagoras: yesss.

OnStandBi: wait wait

OnStandBi: back up

CinnamonRoll: Yes, Lance?

OnStandBi: Shiro

DeadInside: Does not

OnStandBi: Likes

OnStandBi: memes.

CinnamonRoll: Why is this such a shocking revelation?

OnStandBi: First, I love you, hunk, but screw you and your proper typing

OnStandBi: second, he's the dad.

CinnamonRoll: Yes… and?

OnStandBi: the dad doesn't like memes.

DeadInside: Why am I simultaneously called "six" and "dad"?

FucktheBinary: because you are. Suck it up.

.

* * *

Note: No clue where this was going. I think I was going to turn it into Klance. But it's funny regardless.


	9. I can Show you the World

Lance: Keeeeeiiiiittttthhhh

Lance: Talk to me!

Lance: I'm lonely

Lance: Pidge is ignoring me and hunk is busy

Lance: K

Lance: E

Lance: I

Keith: Um? Hi?

Lance: T

Lance: HELLO

Lance: H

Lance: ^ I had to finish my spelling. Else you would be keit

Keith: So what's up. Do you want something? You never want to talk to just me.

Lance: Liek I siad. P and H are ignoring me

Lance: My sister locked me in the bathroom

Keith: Wtf? Today? Now?

Lance: Nah, this mornning. I'm out now.

Keith: wtf lance.

Keith: Alos, you are very out about being bi

Lance: Did you just attempt a pun

Keith: ….maybe

Lance: Well, okay.

Lance: ANyway! I need a plan for revenge.

Keith: Um. I'm not great at this.

Keith: But you could hire a mariachi band to follow heer around. Annoy her to death

Lance: do I look rich to you? I'm a broke college student.

Lance: I barely have the money for ramen

Keith: True.

Keith: Plan b:

Keith: Murder.

Lance: KEITH. NOOoooOOoOooooO

Keith: Aw

Keith: You sure, Lance?

Keith: You could barrow myknife

Lance: No. Ketih. No murder

Lance: but really? You'd let me barrow your knife?

Keith: hm… maybe

Keith: I would… but if you tell anyone….

Lance: That is so ominous.

Lance: but i'm touched

Keith: fine. No murder

Keith: but hwo about you cover everythin in the bahroom with gluestick glueso its all sticky

Lance: that's… actually kind of brilliant.

Keith: eh. Yeah. But i'll deny it if anyone asks

Lance: I need to… bi glue now.

Lance: I dont know where I can get tons of glue from tho

Lance: any ideas?

Lance: KEith?

Lance: buddddddyyyyyy

Lance: reeturn

Lance: I summon thee

Lance: keith.

Lance: keith

Lance: KEIHT

Lance: where r u

Lance: KEIIIITH

Lance: I call upon the most epic and knifely of all knifes to summon thee.

Lance: Knife knife knife knife knife.

Keith: yea?

Keith: I'm here

Lance: WHERE WERE YOU

Keith: I was covering things for you

Lance: what

Keith: 8 bottles of glue and 4 30 pack boxes of glue sticks

Lance: why

Lance: why do you have that?

Keith: Well… it was buy five get three free and buy three get one free.

Keith: you gotta stock up

Lance: but…. why did you… need that much…

Keith: I was gonna do the stickying to Shiro

Lance: Oh. sweet.

Lance: I guess.

Lance: what did Shiro do?

Keith: uh

Keith: stuff. I'll tell you later.

Keith: mayble

Lance: Okay… I want to know what shiro did

Keith: I'll be there in ten.

Lance: What

Lance: Ten what?

Lance: KEith?

Lance: Keith.

Lance: Keht respond.

Lance; ten what?

Lance: DON"T LEAVE ME HERE

Lance: Keith

Lance: Keith, buddy…

Lance: Fine. juse leave me.

Lance: I'll just wallow here.

Lance: KEITH

Lance: I'm legit concerned.

Lance: Tell meeeee

Lance: Keeeeiiiith

Lance: I thought

Lance: I thought wa had a bonding moment

Lance: I thought we were /friends!/

Lance: and you just left.

Lance: Keith

Lance: if you don't reply by the time I get to one, then

Lance: then you are

Lance: STRAIGHT

Lance: 100

Lance: 99

Lance: 98

Lance: 97

Lance: 96

Lance: 95

…(Time skip to save everyone's reading time)...

Lance: 13

Lance: 12

Keith: Shit lance

Lance: 11

Keith: dude.

Keith: dude im here

Keith: and I have to say? A hundred and some messages?

Keith: with threatening that i'm straight?

Keith: I mean

Keith: gay gasp in horror

Lance: well, you werent responding.

Keith: I mean, just oh my mothman

Lance: wtf

Lance: don't you say gosh or god or somthing?

Keith: you worship god, i'll worship mothman.

Keith: respect me.

Lance: alright.

Lance: I guess.

Lance: so now will you tell me what the fuck you are doing

Lance: or were doing

Lance: KEIHT

Lance: DAMN IT KEITH

Lance: stop fucking leaving

Lance: you cant just leave like that?

Lance: with no goodbye?

Keith: knock knock

Lance: um. ? whos there?

Keith: Juliet

Lance: Juliet who?

Keith: Juliet you,

Keith: now open thy stupid window

Lance: what

Keith: Dude, this tree is hard to hang onto.

Keith: hurry thine ass up juliet

* * *

Lance~

Lance stared at his phone, trying to decipher Keith's texts before swinging his legs off of his bed and tossing his phone behind him so it landed with a soft thump on the mattress. Lance walked to the window, raised the blinds and then looked outside.

From through the window, he could see… Keith. Keith was right there. Hanging upside down from a large tree branch.

Lance stared open mouthed at him. He was hugging the limb with both of his arms and his legs, his head towards the ground instead of resting on the tree limb. His longer hair was dangling down below him, fluttering softly in the wind. Lance could see little beads of sweat forming on his forehead. He noticed the way Keith was glaring at him with fierce determination.

He sort of looked majestic.

Like a beached whale.

Lance flipped the latch on his window and pushed it up and open.

" _Dude_!" Lance hissed, leaning out the window. "My parents will kill me if they find you here."

Keith stared at him, "Yeah, well I'm _gonna_ die if you don't help me get the fuck off of this tree."

"Oh, shit!" Lance gasped and grabbed for Keith's arms. After much squabbling and rustling that Lance was surprised hadn't woken the entire house, and after almost dropping Keith a few times, Lance managed to pull him into his room.

Keith stood up, stretching his arms to the side and brushing the dirt and tree back off of his jacket and clothes.

"Keith," Lance said, glancing at the clock on his wall, "It's almost one in the morning. Can we please please not… um… wake my entire family?"

Keith was combing through his long strands of hair, trying to pull all of the twigs and leaves out.

"Relax, I just brought glue to help cover everything. I didn't plan on staying that long."

Lance watched as he swung a backpack off of his back and pulled out a bag of pretzels, eight bottles of glue, and four boxes of glue sticks.

"Keith…" Lance whispered, "You brought… you brought glue."

Keith looked at him and snorted, "Um yeah? I brought glue. Just like you asked."

Lance stared at him. There was a leaf still in his hair. Lance wanted so desperately to pull it out.

"Um. No, I didn't ask you to come over. At one am."

Keith sighed, picking up two of the glue bottles. "Are you with me or not?"

…...

It was surprisingly fun to cover everything in glue. Lance had started small with putting glue sticks all over the mouthwash or toothpaste containers.

Keith had gone right for the comb, glueing it directly to the counter.

After a while of glueing and stick-ifying menial objects, they started to get more devious. They put glue on the bristles of Lance's sister's toothbrush. They glued her retainer case closed. They put glue on the faucet of the sink and the on the surface of the counter.

Keith suggested gluing the toilet paper together but Lance denied that because he didn't want his whole family trying to kill him.

After they were done and had exhausted three bottles of glue and one of the boxes of glue sticks, Lance and Keith had returned to Lance's room, laughing quietly to themselves the whole way.

"I can't _wait_ to see how she reacts tomorrow!" Lance cried excitedly as he flopped backwards onto his bed. "It's going to be _priceless._ And terrifying."

He paused.

"Shit! Keith!" Lance shouted quietly, "How did you talk me into this? She's gonna _killlll meeeeee_!"

"Revenge is fun," Keith said, shrugging as he pulled out his bag of pretzels and sat on the bed by Lance's legs. "She locked you in the bathroom. So now she gets to be sticky and have her shit glued down to the counter. It's only fair."

Lance laughed, his head pressed back against the pillow on his bed and his arms spread wide. "But… you forgot something," he said sitting up to stare Keith intensely.

"What?" Keith said, tilting his head to the side ever so slightly.

Lance smirked at him, "This," he said before reaching out and touching Keith's hand. His fingers were covered with glue, sticking to Keith's hand.

"What are you—?" Keith questioned, confused. "Oh… Lance!"

"What?" Lance said, laughing as he pulled lightly to try to detach his fingers from Keith's hand.

"Why.. Lance?" Keith stuttered, fumbling over his words. "I… Did you not wash your hands of glue?"

"No…" Lance muttered. "Did you?"

He reached out with his other hand and grabbed Keith's to feel the pads of his fingers. Before he could, Keith pulled both of his hands away. "Yes! I did! And now I have _more_ glue on my hands!"

He was glaring at Lance but Lance was certain that he was trying to hide a smile.

"Now I have to go wash my hands _again_. And you know how much glue we put in that bathroom? It's going to be a freaking minefield."

Lance snorted, pressing his sticky fingers together like he was meditating, "I don't know, I think this is pretty fun. It's like I'm Spiderman."

"Oh yes. Care to test that theory out?" Keith smirked. "You could try climbing the walls and just see if you stick."

Lance imagined how cool it would be to be able to climb walls and shoot silk from his hands. He loved Spiderman. And the powers were so cool and dramatic but also comical.

And then… Lance couldn't help his mind flashing to that oh, so famous in-the-rain upside-down kiss.

He wanted to go strangle that part of his brain. It was being ridiculous.

"Yeah, I think I'll pass on the wall climbing," Lance told Keith.

"Alright," Keith sighed, standing up. "I'm going to go wash my hands though."

"Yeah, me too," Lance sighed, heaving himself off of the bed to follow Keith.

After they had finished washing their hands of glue (and maybe splashing water at each other), Lance settled down onto his bed while Keith took the floor, laying down stretched out with his bag of pretzels.

"So… what is this diabolical sister of yours like?" Keith asked as he stared at the ceiling.

Lance rolled onto his side and snatched a pretzel from Keith's hand. "She isn't _really_ diabolical. She was just annoyed with me. We were all planning on coming back this weekend. Well, Veronica, Rachel, Marco, and me. Luis was too busy…"

Lance's voice drifted off as he started thinking about Luis and his sister-in-law Lisa… and their children Nadia and Sylvio…. He loved seeing them. They were so much fun to be around. But… he rarely got to see them because they lived so far away. It was an eight hour drive for them to get back home.

"Lance?" Keith asked softly. "Is everything okay?"

Lance shook his head to joilt himself back into reality. "Yeah, yes! Yes. I'm okay. So Veronica is the one who locked me in the bathroom and she did it mostly as a 'shut up you annoying little brother' mood."

He shrugged, snatching another pretzel. "I love her, but she can be annoying."

"You.. you mentioned other people, too…" Keith reminded Lance quietly.

"Oh, yeah!" Lance said excitedly. "So there's my sister Veronica and then my _other_ sister Rachel. And then there's Marco and Luis. Luis is… gone…"

Keith's eyes widened. "He's what? I'm so sorry, Lance!"

"Oh! No!" Lance yelped. "He isn't dead! He just got married to this really sweet lady Lisa and they have two wonderful children. I love Nadia… she's so sweet and small…. And then there's Sylvio who's so funny and kind and yet he's a little trouble maker and it's fantastic."

"He's the one who had the tiara, right?"

"Yeah!" Lance said, surprised that Keith remembered that small detail.

Keith smiled, "Yeah… you said you liked to play Princess and Dragon or something."

Lance frowned. He knew where this was going. He was used to the 'Why would you play that with your nephew? That's so weird' shit everyone gave him

He tuned out what Keith was saying, preparing for a lecture, until he heard Keith say, "I thought that sounded so nice and sweet."

"Really?" Lance asked, shocked.

"Yeah! I think it's great that you let your nephew try to break the stereotypes. I love it."

Lance was grinning. He couldn't help it. He couldn't believe that Keith was being so nice about the whole thing. "Umm.. thank you!?" Lance said, trying to think of a good response.

"So how is Luis?" Keith asked, switching topics.

"Well… we used to get along so well… and then he grew up and got married. I sort of… didn't. So we couldn't really relate to each other well. Which kind of sucks. He's still a great guy! And I love him! But…" Lance trialed off, not knowing what to say.

"But you feel empty…" Keith murmured. "Like you're missing something."

"Yeah…" Lance said softly. He sat up and drew his knees up to his chest. How was Keith so spot on? Didn't he always have Shiro? Who could have left a void? "Keith… can I ask you something?"

"Depends."

Lance nodded, staring down at the edge of his mattress as he spoke, "How… how do you know what…?"

"What you feel like?" Keith finished. He paused for a moment, staring at the mostly empty bag of pretzels. "I… I guess… I still want to know my… my parents." Keith's voice was so soft… Lance found himself leaning closer to hear him. "My dad… He died when I was nine." Keith paused, swallowing. "And my mom… She left."

His voice was choked with emotion. His hand clenched around the pretzel bag with a sharp crinkling.

"And… I guess I want to know why. …I guess I want to know why she would just leave."

His voice was bitter. Lance wanted to comfort him… but he also didn't feel like he could. He wasn't sure if it was his place.

"I want to know… I want to know why my dad had to die and my mom had to leave."

Keith sniffed softly and he raised his sleeve to his face.

Lance slid off the bed, unable to take it anymore. It was so ingrained into him to be the one to give hugs and comfort everyone when they needed it.

He walked on his knees over towards Keith but stopped short in front of him.

"Keith…" Lance said softly, "I… I don't know your pain. I have a large, loving family. But… that doesn't mean that I don't understand. I… I know of grandparents I never got to know… my uncle… and I know of my family drawing away from each other as everyone started to leave.

"So… I guess what I'm trying to say… is that… I am not in your place… but… I feel like I understand."

Keith wasn't looking at him. He was staring at the bag of pretzels in his hand, the wrapping crinkling softly every time he moved.

"Can… can I give you a hug?" Lance asked softly.

"What?" Keith questioned.

"A… hug. It's… it's what we use to show that we care… that we're there for each other."

"I know what a hug is, you idiot," Keith snorted. "But… okay."

Lance smiled as he leaned close to Keith, wrapping his arms gently around him. Keith didn't move to return the hug, but he didn't pull away. He rested his chin on Lance's shoulder almost as though he were tired and Lance was a pillow.

"Damn it," Keith muttered, "I didn't want to cry."

Lance let out a breath of laughter. "Don't worry," he told him, "Crying is just a normal response."

"To what?"

"Emotional baggage."

Keith laughed, pulling away from Lance and wiping his eyes gently with the back of his jacket sleeve.

"God, I'm such a mess," Keith grumbled. "I can't believe you of all people got me to open up."

"Everyone does," Lance joked. "I guess I'm just an approachable fellow." Lance paused, staring down a the the pretzel bag.

"Yeah," Keith muttered. "I know this is weird, but I'm going to change the subject. What's your favorite snack?"

Lance couldn't help it. Keith was just so… adorable in his awkwardness. "Well that's a jump. Okay… I guess our deep conversations were just too much for you?"

Keith rolled his eyes and muttered, "What's wrong with wanting to know a bit more about a… friend?"

Lance was about to respond but then he decided he didn't have a good comeback. Instead he rolled back onto his back and stared up at the ceiling. "That's a tough one… I guess I've always liked eating chocolate chips as a snack… ice cream. I like putting chocolate chips into lemon ice cream."

"What?" Keith asked. "You do what now?"

"Put chocolate in my lemon ice cream," Lance grinned. "It tastes _amazing_."

Keith smiled, "I guess I'll have to take your word for it."

"I'll make you try it at some point," Lance promised. "But not tonight. Tonight…" Lance looked at the clock and saw that it was 3:30 in the morning. Where had the time gone. "Shit! Keith, it's 3:30 A.M. You have to get home to sleep!"

"I don't need sleep!" Keith protested.

"Well," Lance said, picking Keith up by pulling his arm until he moved, "I'm kicking you out to go sleep and so my mom doesn't find you."

Keith barely moved forward, "You would kick me out? Of my own home?"

"This isn't your home."

"And making me drive on my own…"

"Keith, I just want to sleep. You can come back tomorrow or something if you really want to. I don't know…. Just… you should go."

"Fine…" Keith sighed, launching out of the window to grab the tree. "You haven't seen the last of me though."

Lance smiled and watched as Keith climbed down the tree, waiting until Keith had gotten on his bike and was driving home before he turned away from the window and flopped back on his bed.

* * *

Keith~

Keith pounded on the window outside of Lance's room. His arms were getting tired and he really didn't want to fall down to the ground from this height.

He had gone from tapping the window to using his fist and pounding it in about three minutes.

Annoyed, he pulled out his phone and opened his texts to Lance.

Keith: yo juliet

Keith: open thy window

Keith: hurry the fucketh up

Keith: I can't hang oneth forever.

He watched the window as the blue, star patterned curtains were pulled aside until Keith could see Lance's face looking through the window. He swore he saw Lance gasp "Keith?" in surprise.

Keith waited semi-patiently for Lance to fumble with the lock of the window until he finally thrust it open.

"Keith?!" he yelped in a hushed shout. "What are you doing here… again?"

Keith just glared at him and held out his arm for Lance to grab onto and pull him inside. Clumsily, the two grabbed onto each other and Lance dragged him inside.

Panting, Keith lay with his back on Lance's floor, staring up at the ceiling.

"Juliet," he panted tiredly, "you are slow."

"Dude…" Lance breathed heavily, "why? Why were you outside of my room?"

Keith looked at him, still regaining his breath.

Lance coughed and then said, "I am sorry that I made thee waitith, Romeo. I was busy listening to the lilting music of the beats and lyrics. When thou arrived, I was shooketh."

Keith snorted. "Well, yeah. That's obvious, Juliet."

"Oh, Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou here, Romeo?" Lance said sarcastically.

Keith couldn't help the slight blush that he just _knew_ was on his cheeks. Why did Lance have to be so adorable and yet so obnoxious?

"I'm here," Keith said dropping the shakespearean before his brain short circuited thinking of the implications, "Because I cannot for the goddamn LIFE OF ME find that stupid fucking ice cream that you mentioned. It doesn't exist. Nowhere. I checked three grocery stores and a Walgreens."

"Really?" Lance asked curiously, sitting up to look at Keith. "Did you find the brand even?"

"No!" Keith cried in frustration.

Lance chuckled lightly.

"NO ONE HAS ICE CREAM MADE OF HOGS," Keith shouted in frustration.

Suddenly, Lance barked out a laugh. "Dude, I never said that the ice cream was made from hogs. I said I liked Häagen-Dazs. An Ice cream brand."

Keith shook his head, standing and walking over to Lance's bed where he sat on the edge and rested his head in his hands.

"Wait…"Lance said after a pause, "you went to _how_ many stores?"

Keith turned his head away, feeling the heat return to his cheeks.

"Four."

Lance chuckled, "Awww! That's so nice of you. You went through so much trouble to try to get me ice cream even though I didn't ask for it!"

Keith scoffed. " _I_ wanted ice cream. And I was curious what this weird flavor you mentioned was."

"Ah, yes, lemon Häagen-Dazs with chocolate chips is the absolute _best._ "

"And that's why I wanted to find it," Keith mumbled. "And now, you are going to help me find this lemon ice cream."

"What?" Lance asked in surprise.

Keith stood up, hoisting his backpack up on his shoulder and walking towards Lance and the window. He grabbed Lance's arm and pulled him up off of the ground and dragged him towards the window.

"Come on, pretty boy. It's time to do some climbing."

"W-w-wait what?" Lance stuttered, grabbing onto Keith's arm. "And… you called me 'pretty boy'?"

Keith sighed, turning around to look at Lance. Choosing to ignore the second comment, Keith said, "So first, we're climbing down this tree. Next we are driving to a store. And finally you are showing me where and what this stupid ice cream is."

"For the record," Lance stated, "this is a terrible idea."

Keith raised an eyebrow. "Since when has that ever stopped you?"

"True…"

Keith pulled Lance a step closer to the window before Lance stopped him again.

"But do we really have to take the window?"

Keith stared at him silently for a heartbeat, debating if he wanted to say the line in his head. "Do you trust me?" He quoted.

"Um…" Lance groaned, "First of all: _Aladdin_. Second: nope. Third: why am I always the princess?"

Keith glared at him. He swore that Lance was being more difficult than usual. "Come on," he groaned letting go of Lance's wrist to jump out the window, grabbing the tree branches as he did so. He scampered along the smaller limbs until he reached one wide enough to sit on comfortably.

"Are you coming?" he called out to Lance. "Or are you too afraid to?"

"Dude… this is _my_ tree," Lance said, stepping onto the window sill. "I've been climbing this baby since I was five."

Keith rolled his eyes. "Then what are you waiting for?" he groaned.

Lance looked up at him, smirked, and then swung himself out of the window. He grabbed onto two of the limbs and swung himself between them like they were monkey bars until he reached the place where Keith was resting.

Keith watched as Lance released one of his hands, saluted Keith, and swung himself down to a lower branch where he landed like a nimble cat.

Though he didn't want to admit it, Lance was climbing the tree better than Keith had.

(And he wanted to admit that he found it strangely awe inspiring to watch Lance climb the tree, even less).

Lance continued swinging and jumping and landing until he reached the ground, raising both of his arms into the air like a gymnast.

Lance beamed up to Keith and then twirled his right hand as he gave a slight bow.

Keith rolled his eyes and turned away from Lance, hoping to hide the small smile that somehow was forcing its way through his usual scowl.

Finally, Keith got to the bottom. He felt like he was a lumbering sloth compared to how Lance had climbed down the tree.

"Now who's the—" Lance started to say before Keith cut him off.

"Nope, not a word, Juliet. Time to get on the motorcycle."

Lance's face lit up like a five year old on Christmas eve being told he could open a present early. "I get to do _what_?"

Keith grinned, walking towards where he had parked his motorcycle.

"Can I drive Kosmo?" Lance asked.

Keith reached into the compartment in the back of the motorcycle and pulled out his own and a spare helmet. "Not a chance in _hell_. But you can ride behind me."

Lance ducked his head forward, sulking until Keith tossed the spare helmet to him. It hit him in the stomach and Keith could hear a soft _oof_.

"Get on," Keith smirked, clipping the chinstrap of his helmet in place and taking a seat on the front part of the motorbike. He loved sitting on it because it somehow gave him +20 confidence in whatever he did.

Lance slipped the helmet onto his head and jogged over to Keith, sitting behind him.

Somehow, he was sitting an inch or two behind Keith. He knew that that wouldn't work at all.

Grinning slyly, Keith reached behind him and grabbed Lance's arms by the wrists. He pulled Lance's arms around his own waist.

"Lance… you have to keep your arms around me or you'll fly off the back, and I for one really don't feel like explaining that to your parents. Plus, I don't bite."

Lance glared at him through the mask but reluctantly scooted closer until he was pressed up against Keith's back with his arms wrapped around Keith.

Keith had to bite his tongue to try to distract himself for the fact that _Lance fucking McClain was laying on him._

He knew he was blushing.

Keith cleared his throat. "Well, here we go. Off to the… uh… grocery store."

.

* * *

Lance~

Of _course_ Keith would have him wrap his arms around him. Of _course_ Lance would have to lean on Keith's back while they rode on his motorcycle.

That didn't mean anything though.

That was just… just… safety.

And Keith had specifically tried to find his favorite ice cream just for him… and he had called Lance 'Pretty boy' and 'Juliet' and made references to Aladdin and Jasmine and the most fucking famous love story of all time Romeo and Juliet.

Lance didn't even have words.

He tilted his head back and stared up at the black night sky that passed overhead. He loved the quiet of the night and the rush of the wind in his face. It was amazing, wonderful, beautiful. He wished he could drive like Keith and have control over where he went, but he was also content to just be a passenger who had the privilege of looking at all of the cool sights passing by.

Though, Lance had to admit that it was both a relief and a disappointment when they arrived at the near-deserted parking lot for the grocery store. Lance was able to step back from Keith and finally get his own breath of free air.

But at the same time… he wasn't holding onto Keith anymore, much to his reluctant disappointment.

They walked into the supermarket, chatting about Keith's motorcycle on their way inside.

"Alright," Keith sighed as they reached the massive frozen section, "Show me where this invisible ice cream is."

"It isn't invisible," Lance told Keith for the hundredth time that night.

"Fine," Keith groaned, "Then find it."

Lance walked down the aisle, humming to himself until he found the Häagen-Dazs section of the freezer. He opened the freezer and reached inside to grab one of the lemon ones that was little below his eye level. He pulled it out of the freezer triumphantly, getting down onto one knee and presenting Keith with it. "I have secured for you, the delectable ice cream of lemon-y-ness."

"Dude…" Keith muttered. "How the fuck did you find that so quickly?"

Lance sighed, "Um because I grew up around here and this was my favorite ice cream whenever I wanted to binge eat ice cream."

"So I should try this flavor?" Keith asked skeptically.

"Um, yes!"

"Fine… then you have to try some of _my_ type of ice cream."

Lance nodded in agreement and watched as Keith browsed through the ice creams until his face lit up and he reached into one of the freezers to pull out a pint of ice cream.

"This one is amazing," Keith told Lance, showing him the label.

"Baskin Robbins Chocolate Peanut Butter," Lance read aloud. "Huh," he said, "I always pegged you for one of those basics who like only chocolate or vanilla or those boring ones."

"And I pegged you for a strawberry kind of guy and yet here we are," Keith retorted, tossing the pint between his hands.

Lance whipped around, heading towards the front of the store to check-out their ice cream. "Well," he shrugged, "I guess strawberry is fine, but lemon is just so much better. At least, this type of lemon."

Keith hurried to catch up with him. "I'm excited to try it. This flavor has been hyped so much I have some pretty high expectations for you to try to fulfill."

"OH!" Lance yelped, turning around abruptly to head back to the back of the store.

"What?" Keith asked, following him.

Lance turned around, spreading his hands out beside him like it was the most obvious fact in the world. "We need chocolate chips, don't we?"

"Oh," Keith said softly.

"Unless you _don't_ want to try the most amazing combo of sugar ever."

"No, no," Keith said hurriedly. "I just thought that you would have some at home."

"Well," Lance snorted, "You sort of dragged me out of my window before I could go downstairs to grab any so now we have to buy some. Unless you randomly keep chocolate chips with you?"

Keith shook his head. Lance nodded, "I thought so, but you know, after Pidge, nothing really surprises me anymore."

"True," Keith laughed.

They reached the baking aisle and Lance swept up a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips into his arm. "Voila!" he presented the chocolate to Keith.

"Amazing. Now let's check-out before our ice cream melts," Keith said while already halfway down the aisle.

"Yes, yes," Lance agreed. "Ice cream at midnight!"

Keith had to buy Lance's ice cream as he hadn't brought any money with him because of _Keith pulling him out the window_.

He felt bad making Keith pay for his ice cream and chocolate, but he promised a hundred times to pay him back, regardless of Keith waving him off saying that it was fine.

They walked out of the grocery store into the cool night air. Lance wished that he had brought a jacket. It wasn't a really a night to be eating ice cream but he found that his excitement well surpassed his discomfort at the temperature.

They found seats at the nearby cafe's outdoor seating. The Cafe itself was closed but the outdoor tables and chairs were wide in the open for anyone to sit on them.

Lance made a grand presentation of opening the ice cream and pouring out a small amount of chocolate chips onto the top for the top layer of ice cream. Keith, also, opened his and handed it to Lance.

Lance stared down at the pint of ice cream. "Um…. Keith?"

"Yeah?" Keith asked, looking up from the ice cream.

"We… uh… kind of need spoons? Or something? To eat… y'know… ice cream."

Keith stared at him blankly for a moment. Lance shifted in his seat, hoping he wasn't missing something obvious.

"I have forks." Keith reached into his bag, shifting through it.

"Forks?" Lance echoed.

"Yeah?" Keith said presenting Lance with two of those plastic wrapped forks that you could find in salad restaurants.

"Why do you have two forks but no spoons in your bag?" Lance asked slowly, staring at Keith blankly.

Keith shrugged, "I mean,... I have knives in my bag too, if you would prefer."

"No, I'll take the fork," Lance told him.

Lance handed his lemon-chocolate creation to Keith and took Keith's peanut butter chocolate pint in exchange.

"On three?" Keith asked, grabbing a forkful of ice cream and chocolate chips.

"One," Lance started, grabbing his own forkful.

"Two," Keith said slowly like he was counting off the rocket launch.

"Three!" They said together as they both took a large bit of the ice cream.

Lance was in one part worried about what Keith was thinking about his ice cream choice. He hadn't had that combo in years so he didn't know if it was really as good as he remembered it being. He hoped it was.

But… why did he even care if Keith liked his favorite ice cream flavor? What would that matter?

And the other part of him was taking in the taste of Keith's ice cream. He wasn't usually a peanut-butter chocolate person, but _damn_ was this one good.

"Wow," Lance said as he ate another forkful, "this is really good!"

"Yeah!" Keith agreed.

Lance expected Keith to react more.

But he didn't. He just ate another bite of the lemon with chocolate.

"So…" Lance said around a mouthful of peanut-butter chocolate, "do you… like it?"

"It's really good," Keith said but his tone made it sound like he didn't care that much.

Lance raised his eyebrow suspiciously. "Are you just saying that to not hurt my feelings?"

"No," Keith said, his voice sounding much more genuine.

"Okay," Lance nodded, believing him. "Because if you were, I would ask for my ice cream back because that is tasty ice cream. Though…" he tilted his head to the side thoughtfully, "Is it really ice _cream_ if there is no dairy in it?"

Keith blanched, coughing into his arm for a moment.

"You okay?" Lance asked, mildly concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine' Keith said. "I just… how can this be… _dairy-free?_ "

Lance shrugged. "I don't know? It just kind of is? I don't know how ice cream is made."

Keith looked down at the ice cream, "But now I can't suffer as much!"

"Suffer?"

"Yeah, I'm lactose intolerant but I don't give a shit and like to suffer through eating dairy."

"Keith…" Lance sighed. "Well… actually, I relate to that because that would be me in your place."

"Let's switch ice creams," Keith said, holding his pint out for Lance to take.

Lance nodded, switching their ice creams and and pouring more chocolate chips onto it.

.

* * *

Note: yay! Some actual Klance!

The date was going to end with them eating the ice cream and probably taking a walk around the park and getting to know each other better before going on a motorcycle joy ride and then Keith dropping Lance off back at home with some more cheesy Romeo and Juliet quotes.

I wrote this before season seven so I think Veronica is like a middle schooler in my mind. I'm not really sure. She just isn't in this fic much.

I was hoping to have more chapters in between this and the previous ones to show more of a progression of their relationship together, but now we're more of the teasing/flirting aspect.


	10. Coran Coran the Gaygeous Man

This is one of my _favorite_ chapters. I love the angst.

* * *

Coran~

Coran stumbled into the D&D room, wiping his eyes to try to rub the sleep out.

He had been waiting for this day all week, as he always did, but this week had been so… so… rough. He felt like the exhaustion in his brain was exhausted.

He blinked several times before he could focus on an empty chair to sit in. As soon as he was seated and his arms were on the table, he could feel his head growing heavy. His arms morphed into the softest pillow.

"Hello," he mumbled quietly, resting his head on his arms. "I've been waiting to see you all… all day."

"Um… Coran?"

"I don't think he can hear us."

"What if we poke him?"

"We should _not_ poke him. It's rude."

"Don't poke me," Coran mumbled tiredly.

"He's awake! I told you!"

"Nah, he's just sleep talking. I'm gonna poke him."

"No, Pidge! Don't poke him!"

"But H _uuunk_ —"

"No, Hunk's right. Let him sleep."

 _Ugh_ , Coran couldn't get back to the dream he had been having about riding a giant Klanmüirl. It had been such a wonderful dream….

"Yeah! Let me be the LoreMaster for today!"

Coran sat bolt upright in his chair, his eyes too bleary to see properly. " _I_ am the LoreMaster. No one else."

"Well, he's awake," Keith commented. At least, Coran was pretty sure that the blurry red and black blob was Keith. "At least now we don't have to have _Lance_ as our LoreMaster."

"Oh, what, Mullet? Do you not have complete faith in my LoreMastery? Do you not believe in my abilities to spin wicked tales of woe?"

"No, I do not," Keith commented dryly.

"Right!" Coran said, coming to his senses a little. "D&D. Monsters and Mana. The game of Monsters… and monsters… and monsters…"

"No. Coran," Pidge said slowly like they were talking to a young child, "It's called D&D for Dungeons and Dragons. We're playing Dungeons and Dragons."

"Of course we are… number five…" Coran mumbled.

"You doing alright, Coran?" Shiro asked, placing his hand on Coran's back.

The touch jolted Coran enough to cause him to blink rapidly and be able to see the world clearly for a few moments. "Yes! I'm fine! I'm in tip top… tippity top shape. Like a triangle…"

"Coran…" Allura asked softly, "How much sleep have you had?"

"Sleep? What's… what's sleep? Coffee is sleep!"

"It's really… not," Shiro told him.

"I beg to differ," Keith commented.

"Ditto," Pidge mumbled. Matt high fived Pidge in agreement.

"You know that feeling when you are so tired you just stare at the ceiling or your finger and you know the answer to life?" Matt asked.

"Yes," Keith nodded sagely.

"Duh," Pidge agreed, "That feeling is the best."

"Guys…" Shiro sighed, "I'll deal with you later," he said to Keith. He looked to Matt and then shook his head, not saying anything.

"Coran," Allura said soothingly. Her voice was like a… like a lullaby. So sweet and quiet… and soft… "Coran, stay with me. You need to sleep, but why haven't you been sleeping?"

"I've…" Coran felt his head roll downwards and snap back up. "I've just… been working."

"He needs sleep," Hunk said adamantly. "He can't play D&D with us."

"Aw," Matt and Pidge both mumbled before receiving glares from Shiro and Allura.

"I mean," Matt said quickly, "I would much rather that Coran sleep and then we can talk to him."

"Do we really have to stay here? While Coran sleeps?" Pidge asked, their tone sounding annoyed.

"I don't need… Sleep!" Coran declared, trying to raise his arm in triumph but smacking Shiro in the face instead. Thankfully, Shiro said nothing as Coran stared at his hand in wonder.

"Yes, you do," Allura asserted.

"Sleep is for… for the weak," Coran told her. "And I… I was… I conquered the mighty Weblum! I am… not… weak."

"Coran," Shiro said, holding his tightly, "It isn't weak to sleep. Sleep is _good_ for the body."

Keith snorted and Shiro glared at him.

"But—" Coran tried.

"No," Shiro told him defiantly. His tone clearly said there was no more negotiating the matter. "We will be here when you wake up, or we will wake you in a couple hours so you can go home, but at this rate, you can't even direct Allura to your house."

"Now," Allura said, "Don't argue. I'm making you a bed and you are sleeping."

Coran grumbled in agreement and before he knew it, he was lying down and he could feel the sweet comfort of sleep taking over him.

* * *

~.

Coran woke up dazed. He sat up and saw the D&D group huddled around the table, talking in hushed whispers while playing a game with cards.

It struck him as funny that Pidge and Lance were quiet. They were _never_ quiet. Coran started to laugh softly.

"Coran!" Allura said, turning to see that he was awake. Coran could hear the scrap of her chair as she stood and walked over towards him.

"FINALLY!" Pidge said loudly. "I didn't think that being THAT QUIET would drive me THAT INSANE."

"I KNOOOW!" Lance said. "Like… how do Librarians even FUNCTION. I would DIE in silence."

"You're like a cat," Keith commented.

"Because I'm soft, adorable, and you want to stroke me?" Lance beamed.

Keith choked for a moment. "No… um, because you say you are always dying and yet here you are. It's like you have 300 lives."

"Aww, I'll be your cat if you spend all of my nine lives with me?"

"Um, that would last for about three seconds with how much you 'die'," Keith commented.

"Well…" Lance said softly, leaning towards Keith, "I would spend all of my lives with you."

Keith blanched and turned away, his ears red. "Um… Lance… Don't… don't die on me."

"He wouldn't. He has a high death tolerance," Matt suggested, his eyebrow quirked in amusement.

"Me too," Shiro sighed.

Matt smiled and patted Shiro's hand with his own to reassure him.

"Plus, he would stay around for you," Matt added.

Keith glared daggers at him while Shiro smirked, mouthing ' _Karma'_.

Keith rolled his eyes and flipped Shiro off.

Matt put his hands over Shiro's eyes. "Careful! You don't want to ruin the innocence of the six-year old!"

"Dammit, Matt," Shiro grumbled. "I'm almost seven. Jeez."

"Dammit Keith!" Matt cried, "He's already been corrupted!"

"Come on, Coran," Allura said, snapping Coran's attention back to her. "Let's get you up."

"How long was I out?" he asked her.

"Three hours," she said softly. "To be honest, we expected you to sleep longer."

Coran shrugged. "Sometimes I sleep and sometimes I don't."

"Let's go join the group. Everyone has been waiting to talk to you."

Coran stood up. Even though he hadn't slept for long, he felt like his vision was clearing and he was able to maintain balance once again. He walked over to the group to sit down at the table.

"'Sup Mustache man," Pidge nodded and then went back to finishing talking about machine tech with Hunk.

"Coran," Shiro said calmly, "How are you feeling?"

"Much better, thank you," Coran told him.

"So…" Lance said. "Do you want to tell us what's been going on? We want to know the dirt!"

"What Lance means," Hunk said, shooting a glare at his roommate, "is that we are worried about you and we want to make sure you are doing okay."

"Yeah…" Coran sighed. "I'm fine. I'm just a little overworked."

"Anything in particular?" Allura asked.

Coran grumbled and buried his head in his hands. He was still exhausted but not nearly as tired as he had been a couple of hours ago. Plus, his job was just sort of trivial, especially to the students.

"Paperwork backing up?" Matt asked.

Coran shook his head. He really didn't want to relive the last couple of days.

"Students annoying you?" Pidge supplied.

"No," Coran smiled. "I love the children. You guys are the only annoying students."

Lance rolled his eyes, "Alright, well, what is it?"

Coran tried to act nonchalant but he could feel the pain tugging at the back of his throat. Exhaustion had kept his mind off of that choking feeling but now that he was more alert, he could feel that pull returning. "I've just… I've had a couple bad days at my other work."

"Why?" Allura asked softly. Her voice was so gentle. Coran could remember raising her and caring for her when she was younger and using that exact same tone to calm her down. And to calm down Felix before her.

Somehow, Coran managed to choke the name out, "Evan. His name was Evan Samuels."

"Was?" Hunk inquired quietly.

Coran nodded. "He… he fought so hard. And then… and then yesterday… yesterday he was holding my hand, smiling at me… and he…"

He couldn't finish. His voice was choked up.

"He what?" Lance asked emotionlessly.

Keith twacked him in the arm and hissed, "He died you idiot! Now be quiet."

"Oh, god, Coran," Lance breathed, "I'm… I'm so sorry."

"How… how old was he?" Matt asked quietly.

"Nine," Coran told him. He was the same age. The same age as…

"Where do you work?" Hunk asked, perplexed.

"Coran works at a children's hospital," Allura supplied for him. "He works with children with cancer specifically."

He watched as everyone's mouth settled into an O shape. There was silence for a moment. Coran could remember how Evan had held his hand. He had been so tired, his eyes drooping and his head nodding, even on his pillowed bed. But he had grabbed Coran's hand and told him "Thank you for taking such good care of me, Coran. Thank you. I… I loved spending time… with you…"

Before Coran even had a chance to reply, Evan's eyes had drifted shut. The monitor that he was hooked up to began to ring in the monotone dull chime of death.

Coran hadn't been able to move. He had held Evan's hand until he felt it going cold. He had squeezed his hand, whispering to him to hold on just a little longer. Whispering that Evan had done such a good job. He had fought so hard.

" _You have done such a good job fighting, Felix."_

Coran knew he was crying. He could feel the tears slipping down his cheeks and through his mustache. He could no longer count the drops as they fell, they were just pooling in his eyes and blurring his vision.

"He was the same age, wasn't he?" Allura asked softly.

Coran froze. He couldn't breath. He couldn't think.

 _How does she know?_ He thought to himself. _I never told her. I didn't want her to… to worry. To… to mourn._

He gave a short, quick nod but wouldn't look at her.

He could hear his laughter. Coran remembered running through a field of beautiful red flowers while Felix chased him and laughed with the pure joy of a young, innocent child.

He remembered how Felix had hugged him tightly each and every night before he went to bed.

He remembered going to the doctor and the doctor telling Coran the news.

"What's can-cer?" Felix had asked, being careful to enunciate each syllable.

He remembered holding his hand before and after every operation.

He remembered how Felix had smiled, even when he was scared.

And worst of all, he remembered how Felix had held his hand, his eyes wide, tears slipping out of the corners of them despite the large grin on his face.

"This should be the last one," Coran had told him.

Felix had grinned wide.

"I love you, Felix."

"I love you, too, Daddy," Felix had said. "And don't worry. I'll see you soon."

.

* * *

...

He never did get to see him again.

Coran had waited in the waiting room until the doctor came out. Coran remembered standing up and walking over, ready to go greet his son and get him on the road of recovery.

And then he noticed the way the doctor closed the door slowly. The way he held his clipboard in a limp hand at his side, like the information on it was unimportant. The way that his head was downcast and he wouldn't meet Coran's eyes.

"What is it doc?"

And that was when the world had stilled.

* * *

...

That was when Coran had pushed past the doctor and run into the dark and lifeless operation room.

And there Felix was.

Laying there.

His skin so pale.

His eyes closed.

He… he never even known he was gone.

"Sir, you _need_ to leave."

Coran had wrenched his arm out of the nurse's grasp. He had moved towards Felix. "Felix? Felix?"

"Sir,"

"He's my _son_!" Coran had spat, clutching Felix's small and weak and frail body to his own. The small body that only an hour ago had held so much life and strength.

"Sir, we're sorry for your loss, but you need to leave."

"My _son_ ," Coran had said as the nurse had pulled his arms away from Felix. "He's not gone! You have to do something? Why didn't you do anything to save him? Why did you just leave him to die?"

Coran was pulled away. Pulled backwards.

"Please," he had called. "Can any of you save my son? Please…"

* * *

...

"Coran?" Allura said, jolting him out of his memories. "How… how can we help?"

She wiped away the tears on his cheeks and Coran leaned into her touch, looking for comfort. "How did you know his age?" he whispered.

Allura swallowed and was quiet for several heartbeats before she whispered, "I saw pictures. Before my father died I asked him."

Coran thought of Alfor. Alfor was the only reason that Coran had made it through everything after Felix. He was the only reason that Coran had kept going.

He looked up and noticed that the rest of the group had moved off to the side, giving Coran his privacy but still obviously listening with one ear.

"He was the same age…" Coran murmured.

Allura didn't say anything. Instead, she wrapped Coran up in hug. He didn't know what to say. His voice felt choked. He wanted to smile and laugh for everyone but he was tired. So tired.

"I think that you should take Coran home, Allura," Shiro said softly.

Allura nodded, "Yeah, he needs to rest."

Coran inhaled sharply and forced himself to stand. He straightened his coat and started walking towards the door.

"Hey, man," Lance said softly, "We'll be here for you, all of us, anytime you need."

Coran smiled at them and nodded. He wanted to make a joking reply but the only thing that he said was "Thank you."

Allura instructed him to get into her car so that she could drive him home. Coran didn't have the strength to argue.

On the way back, they didn't talk but the silence between them was more of a mutual understanding and comfort than it was awkward.

Coran was grateful when she came inside with him for a moment, just to make sure he was okay. "Coran…" she said softly just before she left, "is there anything else I can do?"

"No," Coran sighed. "I'm fine, you don't have to do everything for me. I've been through this before."

"That's what I'm worried about," Allura muttered.

"Don't be," Coran assured her. "I'll be back to my normal self by next week."

"Just… I don't want you to… to go through this alone." Allura hugged her arms around herself. "I understand loss, too."

"I know," Coran said quietly. "Thank you. But I'm okay."

Allura nodded, "Okay. I'll check on you tomorrow, regardless."

Coran rolled his eyes, "I'm not fragile, Allura."

"Well, maybe I just want to see you for an extra period of time?" Allura smiled.

Coran shook his head and waved goodbye, turning back towards his room. He heard the front door click as Allura left.

He walked into his room and sat down on the bed. He knew it would be okay. He really did know that he would feel better.

But for now, it still felt like he was reliving Felix's death.

He was glad when he finally fell asleep and was able to escape from the world he had to endure daily into one of silent bliss.

~~~...

* * *

Coran~

 _Crash!_

"Sorry! Sorry!" Coran cried out. He had been too distracted with reading his clipboard of notes when he had walked into another employee's cart.

Everything had crashed to the ground and Coran had fallen on top of the toppled car, further wrecking the already-trainwreck that Coran had created.

"Naw, 's okay," a pleasantly low voice said. Coran was surprised to hear a semi-soft scottish accent. Or maybe it was a cockney accent. Coran wasn't sure.

"At least let me help clean up," Coran picked himself off of the cart and looked up at the man standing above him.

And… fuck. He was cute.

 _I'm gay,_ Coran thought to himself. The man in front of him was tall with a thick black beard braided into a thick, viking-like style. His coarse hair was gathered in the back and braided as well. He wore small circular spectacles on the end of his nose that made his green eyes seem larger and brighter. He was looking down at Coran with concern and he had his hand outstretched to help him stand up.

"'Re ya okay?" the man asked softly.

 _God,_ Coran thought as he stared at the man. _I am really fucking gay._

He reached out and took the man's hand. It was warm and surprisingly calloused and strong. Coran gulped as he stepped back to admire the man… _Um. I mean, admire the damage_.

Coran forced his eyes to look down towards the crashed cart. A couple bottles of medicine were spilled on the floor, but no major damage seemed to have been done.

His eyes flicked back towards the man and he realized he hadn't answered him. "Um, Oh, yes. Right. I'm... um I'm ga— good! I'm good!"

The man nodded. "What's 'ere name?"

 _Damn. His accent sounded so nice._

"Um… Coran Hieronymus Wimbleton Smythe," Coran said far too quickly. _Shit._ "Um… Coran is fine. My name's Coran. Like… Coran Coran the gorgeous man."

 _Oh god. Shit. Did I say that out loud? Did I say_ that _? To a coworker? A really really good looking coworker…_

The man smiled pleasantly, "Mine's Eamon. 'S nice ta meet ya Coran."

The way he said Coran's name sent shivers up his spine. _God, I know that I'm gay, but… now I'm_ really _gay._

Eamon held out his hand and grabbed Coran's to shake it firmly.

"Um, let me help clean up," Coran said, averting his gaze from Eamon.

He knelt down and started picking up the bottles of medicine and throwing away the pills that had spilled onto the floor.

At one point, Eamon had been reaching for a bottle that was next to Coran's hand and he had bumped Coran's hand. Coran had frozen and tilted his head farther down to hide the blush escaping onto his cheeks.

"'Ow lon' you been workin' 'ere, Coran?" Eamon asked politely.

"Um… fifteen or so years?" Coran mumbled. He couldn't help but watch Eamon's eyes as they wrinkled when he smiled. "How about you?"

"Eh… I've been 'ere for 'bout two years."

"How come I haven't seen you before?" Coran asked. He was pretty sure he would remember someone with such kind eyes, and a great beard and such a deep, rich voice…

"I just started 'orking durin' the afternoon/ evenin' time. I used ta 'ork durin' the mornin' and the day." Eamon told Coran.

That was why Coran hadn't really seen him. He generally worked during the time that Coran taught at school.

"But," Eamon said, "I'm pretty sure 'at we 'orked to'ether before."

Coran nodded. They might have. Maybe he had just been too busy to notice the amazing person in front of him.

"You 'ere the one 'at 'elped 'at boy Evan, right?" he asked.

Coran felt a lump form in his throat. He nodded solemnly.

Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder, "I'm sor'y." Eamon said quietly.

Coran smiled at him, he had to. Eamon's soft voice and caring eyes and firm but comforting touch just made it impossible to not smile at.

"I 'eard 'at a really great man 'as takin' care of 'im," Eamon said. "I 'eard 'at Evan 'as very 'appy at the end."

Coran grimaced. "I hope he was."

Eamon still had his hand on Coran's shoulder and he squeezed it reassuringly, "I know what 'ere goin' through…" he whispered. "I've lost many a friend 'ere."

Coran raised his eyes to look up at Eamon. He was looking at the floor.

"I fear 'at me own daughter'll die…"

Coran's heart clenched. "You… you have a daughter?"

"Ya," Eamon's face lifted into a smile, "'er name's Tristin and she's ten now."

Coran almost didn't want to ask, but he was just glad that she was older than Felix. "What… what does she have?"

"Mm?" Eamon questioned, looking back up at Coran. "Oh, she's not sick a'ymore. She survived Chemo."

"That's fantastic!" Coran commented.

"Do you 'ave a'y children?"

Coran felt the dull pull at his heart, the clench in his chest, but he forced those feelings into the void and sighed deeply. "I used to have a son. Felix. He died here when he was nine."

"I'm so sor'y," Eamon whispered.

"It's okay," Coran said, forcing his voice to not crack. "That's why I started working here. I wanted to help children like Felix."

Eamon nodded. "I start'd 'cause I'm good 'ith childr'n and I fell in love 'ith Tristin. And 'cause she 'as an orphan, I 'as 'er foster parent and 'en I adopt'd 'er."

Before Coran could think through what he was saying, he blurted, "So, are you married?"

"No," Eamon said. "You?"

Coran shook his head.

"Did you adopt?" Eamon asked.

Coran sat back on the floor and Eamon followed his lead. Coran felt the absence of his hand on his arm. "Sort of," he mumbled. "Felix was technically my sister's son. But… she died in childbirth. Then… one day, her husband called me and asked if I could stay at his house while Felix slept so that he could get away for a couple hours. I agreed; it wasn't abnormal for me to hang out with Felix during the night.

"Well, it was getting late and he still wasn't back yet. I called the police when it was past midnight and he wasn't answering his phone. The police sent out a search and—" Coran stopped. He still remembered the call he had received. The voice of the policeman talking to him, her voice shaky and concerned. He remembered how he had collapsed to the ground, dropping the phone. He remembered standing up, despite the late hour, and going into Felix's room and hugging the small boy in his arms. The boy who would never know his parents. "Anyway," Coran continued, "he never made it back home. I couldn't just leave the boy to foster care, so I took him in."

"'At's so nice of you!" Eamon smiled warmly. "Though… 'at did the father die of?"

"A car crash," Coran sighed. "He had been an alcoholic and was drinking too much that night and crashed. Thankfully, he didn't injure anyone else."

"And you were 'ere for Felix."

Coran smiled at Eamon. How was it possible that he was so nice and caring? He seemed so ready to hear Coran's problems and relate to them.

"Thank you for talking with me," Coran said kindly.

"Me pleasure!" Eamon stood up and held out his hand for Coran to take once again. He did, if only to feel that warm and steady strength once again. "We should 'alk again som'time!"

Coran was sad that their only meeting was coming to a close, but the idea of talking to Eamon again made his chest feel light and happy. "Definitely."

"And, I'll 'e workin' more in the evenin's so we'll see more of each ot'er, right?"

Coran winked, "I sure do hope so."

Eamon nodded, smiled, and turned to leave. "See you la'er Coran, Coran the gorgeous man."

Coran flushed bright red and spluttered to come up with something to counter what he had said, but he couldn't think of anything before Eamon was gone. _God. I'm such an idiot. A stupid gay idiot. A stupid really-gay-for-a-man-named-Eamon idiot!_

* * *

Lance~

Lance was so excited for this D&D week. He had been deprived last week because Coran had been exhausted. Which Lance completely understood and sympathized with.

Like, _god_. Coran had it _rough_. Lance wanted to comfort him or… do something.

But he had heard from Allura that Coran was doing much better this week so Lance was pumped and ready to get his Keith-ass-kicking on.

"'Sup Mullet," Lance said as he stepped inside. He walked up behind Keith and leaned over the back of his chair. He was reading a book. Lance started skimming the page.

"What's this?" He asked, snatching the book out of Keith's hands in order to read the cover. " _Trials of Apollo: The Hidden Oracle_ , by Rick Riordan," Lance read outloud. "What's this? Greek myths?"

"Basically," Keith said. "But written for younger audiences."

"Why are you reading it if it's for kids?" Lance smirked.

"Because these ones are really good," Keith retorted. "Plus, I love Nico di Angelo."

"Who?"

"Gay child of darkness," Keith summed up.

"Hmm," Lance said as he flipped through the book. "Is he dating anyone?"

"Um, yes. The gay child of sunshine, Will Solace."

"Is everyone gay?" Lance asked.

"It's greek myths. Everyone _should_ be gay."

Suddenly Matt walked up behind them, "Yes. Agreed. Everyone should be gay. What are we talking about?"

"Solangelo," Keith commented.

"Ah," Matt nodded appreciatively. "The ship of beauty."

"Are there any bi characters?" Lance asked, handing the book back to Keith.

"Yeah," Keith nodded. "Apollo's bi. Like, really bi.

"Sweet," Lance smiled.

Matt smirked, "Yeah, the title should be "Apollo is bi as fuck and is punished by looking ugly."

Keith nodded towards Matt. "True."

"What's up motherfuckers!" Pidge shouted as they walked into the room with Hunk, Shiro, and Allura at their side. "The Pidgeon is here to crush all of your hopes and dreams into pathetic piles of shit."

"Language," Shiro reprimanded behind them.

Pidge turned back to glare at him. "Ugh. Fine."

"Shiro is only six after all," Allura commented.

"He's almost seven!" Matt said affectionately. "I can't wait for our baby to be all grown up!"

"We'll have to invite all of his friends," Keith suggested.

Lance whacked him in the arm. "We are his friends, dumbass."

"Is it too late to get new friends at a new job? Can I just quit life?"

"Nope and nope," Hunk said nicely.

"Yeah, once you adopt a child you can't return it," Pidge added.

Shiro sighed. "Dammit."

Matt rushed over and wrapped his hand over Shiro's mouth. "Remember, we've talked about this! You don't say those fucked up words, sweetie."

Suddenly, the door burst open behind them and Coran rushed inside.

"Hello," Lance deadpanned. "Somebody's late."

"Everything okay, Coran?" Allura asked.

Coran shot into his seat, almost knocking it over. He bent his head towards his chest while he breathed deeply, probably to catch his breath.

When he was finally breathing normally, Coran said, "Hello gays. I'm really really gay."

Lance snorted with laughter.

"Welcome to the club," Keith and Matt said at the same time.

Lance couldn't help laughing.

"I copied the nerd," Keith said in mock offense.

Matt gasped dramatically. "I may be a nerd but that doesn't mean I can draw a straight line."

"And, hey," Shiro said to Keith, "That's my gay nerd."

"Noted," Keith said.

"But not all of us are gay," Pidge added.

Hunk high fived them and Lance walked over to give Pidge a high-five too.

"No," Pidge said. "You're half gay."

Lance was highly offended. "Hunk is at least open to being gay."

"Dude," Hunk commented. "I'm pan, not gay."

Lance glared at him. "Well, I'm bi but if I date a dude everyone's going to call me gay."

Pidge smirked, "And I know that, currently, you are _waaaay_ closer to dating one particular pretty princess—"

"Shut up!" Lance shouted, jokingly, despite the fact that his heart was starting to race slightly.

"Allura?" Keith asked, apparently oblivious to Pidge's antics.

Lance sighed, relieved that Keith hadn't picked up on anything.

"Nope!" Pidge cried gleefully.

"Anyway," Shiro said, turning back towards Coran. "What is it, Coran?"

"Yes," Matt added in a false shakespearean accent, "What ails ye fine sir?"

Coran moaned again. "I'm gay."

"Yes," Pidge prompted. "We've already established this."

"And this guy at work is really really cute and I like him and I haven't been able to stop thinking about him for the last two days."

Keith nodded sagely. "I know how you feel."

Lance couldn't help but wonder what _that_ meant. Had he had crushes before? Or did he have a crush on someone now?

"Who?" Allura asked curiously.

Coran sighed contentedly. "A man named Eamon."

"How did you two meet?" Hunk inquired.

"I sort of crashed into his cart?" Coran looked sheepish. "And then I told him my story about Felix."

Lance remembered how the day after they were supposed to have D&D last week they had sat at their lunch table and Allura had told them all a little about how Coran had had a son who had died of cancer.

"How did he take it?" Allura asked softly.

"He understood. He related… he… he grabbed my shoulder and held my hand so I could stand up." Coran closed his eyes as though content with everything.

"Wow," Shiro commented. "That is pretty nice."

"I knowww!" Coran whined.

"You should just go up and give him your best line," Lance commented. He leaned on Keith's chair and said "Something like, 'I'm sorry, were you talking to me? No? Well, then please start.'"

"Lance," Keith interrupted, "That is so dumb. Obviously they have already been talking. I mean, god Lance, were you even listening? They were already talking. Coran knows his name."

"Alright," Lance said coyly, "Then what about this: 'I must be in a museum…" he paused to look dramatically at Keith, "'because you are truly a work of art."'

Keith tilted his head pensively in an oddly adorable way. "No…" he said slowly, "That doesn't make sense. They are in a hospital. Right?"

"Yes, Keith," Pidge sighed.

"Fine," Lance muttered, leaning towards Keith, "How about… 'Are you a doctor? Because I just broke my leg falling for you."

"No, too literal," Keith vetoed. "Of course he is a doctor? And they are at a hospital?"

"Ugh!" Lance huffed. "If mine are so awful then how about you do one?" He bumped Keith's shoulder with his hand.

Keith scowled. "Alright. I'll try." He paused for a moment, biting his lip as he thought. "If looks could kill, you'd be a weapon of mass destruction." He told Lance pointedly.

"You have no skills in how you deliver you pick up lines," Lance grumbled but he had to turn away from Keith. He knew he was blushing. He didn't even know why. He just was and it was stupid. The line wasn't even that good….

"Are you two done?" Pidge said loudly. Lance looked over, happy for a distraction, for once. "Because the sexual tension in here is killing me."

Lance noticed that they were putting their phone away. Oh god. They had probably filmed the whole thing.

"I don't know," Matt said. "I kind of like their pick-up lines." Matt turned at smiled slyly at Shiro. "Sooo.. Shiro… my lips are skittles… do you wanna taste the rainbow?" He wiggled his eyebrows at Shiro, leaning towards him.

Shiro put a hand to his face in exasperation. Lance could still see the blush on his cheeks, though. "Matt…" he groaned.

"What?" Matt asked innocently.

"You are really cute… but not right now."

"Yeah, dumbass," Pidge commented.

Matt turned to Pidge and smiled at them. "So…."

"Don't you dare," Pidge said, glaring.

"If I had four quarters to give to the four prettiest people in the world, you would have a dollar."

Silence fell over the room.

"Dude…" Lance said before he watched Pidge punch their brother in the stomach.

"Fuck off. I'm worth at _least_ twenty fucking bucks," Pidge grumbled.

Lance snorted out laughter and he heard Hunk join in first followed by the others. Matt clutched his stomach but still managed to smile at Pidge.

"Guys," Allura called, reining them in, "Don't you think we should focus more on Coran?"

"He _is_ the one having a gay panic," Hunk said.

"Everyone has gay panics sometimes," Keith nodded appreciatively.

"When was your last gay panic?" Lance asked, leaning over to Keith, genuinely curious. Keith didn't meet his gaze though.

"Two weeks ago when I read a new article about Mothman," Keith said.

"Okay…. What about with a real person?" Lance tried again.

Shiro looked up and started to say, "I know. It was over La—"

"UM!" Keith said loudly, glaring at Shiro. "That guy, Rolo, back at the Library."

Lance tried to remember. He had honestly tried to block out as much as he could about that silent doom place. He did remember that one really hot chick Nyma…..

"Was he the one with that girl, Nyma?" Lance asked. "You know, the one with the pigtails?"

"Yes," Pidge supplied dully.

"I would be happy to go back there…" Lance said quietly. He kind of liked the idea of seeing Nyma again. But… he didn't really like the idea of Keith seeing Rolo. They wouldn't work well together. Lance just couldn't see them ever being together but he wouldn't get in the way if they would be happy.

"Nah," Keith said.

Lance couldn't help but feel a little thankful.

" _Guys_ ," Allura said. "Can we _please_ focus on Coran."

"Right," Lance said, turning back to the mustached uncle-figure. "How can we assist you Coran?"

"I'm just not sure what I should do…" Coran said nervously. "Like… should I work towards friendship? Should I tell him how good he looks? Should I ask him out?"

"I say you should con him into eating onions," Matt sighed, glaring at Pidge.

They shrugged and muttered, "Well, it worked out in the end didn't it?"

"Yeah, after my life was ruined by awkward tension for a few days."

"Exactly," Pidge nodded. "Job well done me."

" _I_ personally think you should do what you would like to do, Coran," Shiro told him.

"These kinds of times don't come every day," Hunk added. "Maybe take advantage of it?"

"Yeah, you should just go for it," Lance added. "That's what I do. And if you are rejected then you don't bother seeing him again."

"Oh god," Coran muttered. "I work _next_ to him. I can't have things being awkward! I don't even know if he's gay enough to go on a date with me! And what if things do go well but then the child he has doesn't like me?"

"Coran," Allura said calmly, "You are such a sweet fun person, every kid you have ever met loves you!"

"Fine," Coran conceded, "But that doesn't mean that Eamon will. And I have to work with him."

"Coran," Matt started, "Don't take a page from my book. Don't wait. Just ask. Take a chance."

"Yeah!" Hunk said excitedly, "See what happens. Maybe phrase the date in a way that could be either straight as friends or gay on a date?"

Coran nodded, "Yeah… yeah that's a good idea."

"Go get that man!" Lance shouted. "Ask him out to a casual dinner place and maybe a walk around the park or something safe like that."

"At least try," Keith added. "You don't want to be angsty like the rest of us."

"I don't know what you are talking about," Pidge commented. "I'm not angsty at all."

Matt snorted in response.

"You are all right," Coran admitted. "Alright. Tomorrow I'll ask him out like a proper adult."

Lance leaned down to Keith to whisper in his ear. Keith flinched at Lance's breath on his ear but he held still after a moment. "How much do you bet that he's a wreck?"

"Ten bucks he stutters," Keith whispered back.

"You're on. I say ten that he mixes up the word order."

Pidge leaned in somehow having super hearing. "I hear bets. I want in."

Lance and Keith explained to them and they looked up for a moment. "Alright. Twenty says that he does both."

Lance and Keith both nodded appreciatively. "Feeling dangerous, eh, Pidge?" Keith asked.

Pidge shrugged, "Eh, I say go big or go home. Or at least bigger than you gays."

Keith glared at them.

Lance put a hand to his chest. "Excuse me. I am a complete bisexual here. I am not _just_ a gay."

Pidge snorted. "My apologies Mr. Gay and Mr. At-Least-Somewhat-Gay."

Lance glared at them. "Better but not by much."

Pidge nodded, satisfied.

"Soo…." Shiro said. "Can we play D&D now?"

"Oh, yes," Coran said excitedly. "Let's pick up where we left off."

Everyone moved around until they were situated and Coran cleared his throat, preparing to continue.

* * *

...

Note: And then they play D&D, more awkward klance flirting, later Coran goes and asks Eamon out….

YAY.

Eamon accepts and a little later they meet his daughter. His daughter is a trans girl and Eamon buys her a lot of wigs so she can feel more feminine and be more like a girl. Tristin is her birth name but she liked it and didn't want to change it, even though she wants to transition.

Evan, the boy who died will be returning… now!


	11. Awoken and Full of Angst

And I end this series with some laughs, klance, and angst.  
This is one of my favorite chapters and I love the characters and the story.

* * *

Lance~

"Hey, Lance?" Nadia, his niece, asked him as she poured a gallon of syrup onto her pancakes.

"Hmm?" Lance asked through a bite of his own sugary drowned pancake, not really looking up at her. He was too busy thinking about the night before. Why had Keith seemed so…. Excited to see him again? They had never planned their random nights together before, so it seemed weird that Keith would want to make sure that Lance was available to hang out.

"I had a question," Nadia told him in her normal singsong voice that indicated she was hoping to get something out of the conversation. A part of him wanted to see where this conversation was going,. The other part of him wanted to get her to be quiet so that he didn't have to deal with those obnoxious butterflies fluttering around his stomach as he worried that Nadia would spill his secret.

"Okay…" Lance said slowly, in reply.

"What's that cute boy who you like's name?" she asked innocently.

Lance grinned and chuckled good naturedly. He glanced through the doorframe that led to the kitchen where he could see his mom cooking, joyously humming to herself. "It doesn't matter," Lance said in a much more hushed tone.

"Why not?" Nadia asked, still too loud for Lance's liking.

It wasn't like his parents weren't supportive and all… they were fantastically supportive. Maybe even a little _too_ supportive sometimes. And that was all great. He just didn't want to deal with them asking a million questions like he was a freshman in high school getting ready to go to homecoming.

"Because," Lance said in a quiet voice, "he almost certainly doesn't like me in that way, probably doesn't really like me in general, so there is no point?"

"Wait…" Sylvio, Lance's nephew who had been quietly listening to the whole conversation , interjected. "Lance, you like girls right?"

"Yes," Lance answered without even thinking. He was about to add that he also liked boys when Sylvio interrupted again.

"And...you like boys too right?"

"That's right," Lance said, smiling warmly. He was always glad when he got to share some of his wisdom for another generation.

"Yeah!" Nadia added. "And you like this one boy with the longer dark hair and that cool bike!"

Lance rolled his eyes, blushing at her teasing. "Maaaaybe. I don't knowww…."

"So, Lance," Sylvio pressed onward. He had stopped eating his pancakes and instead was twisting the edge of his shirt between his hands.

"Yeah? What is it?"

"Well, it's okay to… to like boys right?"

Lance felt his forehead crinkle in confusion for just a moment before he passed away with a smile. "Of course! If you like boys, good for you! If you like girls, that's great! If you like anyone, fantastic!" He turned towards Nadia and nodded his head towards her, "Same goes for you. Both of you, love who you want to love. And even if you don't love anyone like that, then that is okay too."

Lance studied Sylvio's face as some of the anxiety and worries seemed to fall away.

Lance smiled goodnaturedly, "Is there someone you had in mind, Sylvio?"

Sylvio continued to twist his hands in his shirt. "Well, there's this one boy who's super nice. He would usually be in my classes and would play with me and talk to me and I really like him as more than a friend….. But I didn't really think about that until he left."

Lance heard the sadness and pain in his nephew's voice and all he wanted to do was wrap Sylvio up in a large hug. But he waited.

"Did he move?" Nadia asked softly, all joking gone from her voice.

"I don't think so…" Sylvio said softly, "my teacher says he'll be back but she doesn't know when that will be…."

"So focus on that," Lance told him. "Wait for him to come back and trust that he is going to come back.

"Okay!" Sylvio agreed excitedly.

"But what if he doesn't?" Nadia asked quietly.

Lance turned his gaze to her, glaring without meaning to. "We just have to trust that he will."

Sylvio nodded with determination. "I'm going to write him a get well letter and give it to my teacher! And then he'll get some mail and it will brighten his day!"

"Yeah!" Lance encouraged. "I'm sure he would love that!"

"And… and when he gets better," Sylvio told Lance with determination, "I'm going to see him again and run over to him and hug him and tell him that he isn't allowed to leave me again."

"Aww," Lance smiled at his nephew. He was so adorable. "Yes. You do that. Sylvio. I bet that he would love that."

Sylvio grinned widely.

"You should do that for that one boy," Nadia commented. "You should just run up and hug him and kiss him and—"

"What's this now?" Lance's mom asked as she set down another plate of pancakes.

"Lance has a boyfriend!" Nadia cried _very obnoxiously_.

"I do _NOT_ ," Lance protested.

"Then who was that who was her—"

"Nadia!" Lance interrupted sharply.

Nadia just shrugged and took another bit of pancake.

"So…" his mom said as she sat down to eat, "Who's this boy?"

"No one," Lance replied defensively.

"Someone Lance has been spending a _lot_ of time with," Nadia smiled.

"Oh, really?" Lance's mom replied, smirking herself.

"Yep," Nadia grinned at her pancake. "He has nice hair. Like a prince or something."

Panicking, Lance whacked her shoulder to try to get her to shut up. He didn't want his mom knowing about Keith. And he didn't have a _real_ crush on him. He just… admired him. His smile… his eyes… his—

Nope. Lance was not thinking that.

"Owww," Nadia grumbled rubbing her shoulder exaggeratedly. "Uncle Lance, that huuuurt."

"You'll live," Lance sighed.

"Lance!" his mom reprimanded.

"She _was_ teasing me!" Lance protested.

" _Lance_. You are older than Nadia and you should act like it."

" _Mooom_ ," Lance grumbled, flopping backwards in his chair. He knew that he should be nicer to Nadia and Sylvio but he hated being teased and not getting to get payback.

"I'll let it go if you tell me one thing about this boy that I deem is sufficient information."

Lance paused, weighing his options. He could either play along and mention something small or he could ignore her out of spite and be punished.

The first one was less painful.

Probably.

"Um… I guess he has nice eyes?" Lance said in a rush, rubbing the back of his head nervously. Only after a pause did he notice that he had had syrup on his hands and had just rubbed it into his hair. Fantastic.

"Well?" his mom prompted.

"They are a nice grey-ish color. Almost purple?" Lance fumbled for something to say.

"And?" his mom prompted again.

"I like the way that his eyes shine when he smiles. Did you know he has dimples? Cause I didn't. I really didn't. …He doesn't smile enough for me to see it. But he has really adorable dimples and they only show when he truly smiles; it's amazing. It's truly amazing. And just... the way the skin around his eyes crinkles when he laughs. And how when he does laugh— really laughs— he opens his mouth and throws his head back in glee. He has this really nice laugh too. Something that he doesn't do much so it feels foreign and special whenever he does laugh for you. And then, after he's done laughing, he puts a hand to his face and rubs his cheeks, mumbling about how much laughing hurts and how he hates it, but that only makes him laugh more. And then he does this adorable scowl while he tries to make his face stop hurting but his eyes are still laughing. And I'm so proud that I've seen that a few times because he really doesn't laugh that much so getting to experience that and know that I caused him joy for one second, is really freaking amazing."

Lance paused his over explained rant, paling and blushing at the same time as he realized what he had done.

Nadia started to slow clap, applauding his 'one detail.' His mom was grinning, her hands clasped together in suppressed delight. Even Sylvio was looking up at him with both admiration and excitement.

Lance rolled his eyes.

He stood up, grabbing his plate and walking off towards the kitchen. "It's nothing. Don't bother with it. It won't last anyway."

No one replied.

Lance washed off his dishes and was about to head upstairs to his room when he felt a tap on his back. He turned around and saw Sylvio there.

"Yeah?" Lance mumbled.

"If I can wait, and write letters for my… friend. Then I think you can, too."

And with that he ducked off to go upstairs.

Lance couldn't help but smile as he walked up the stairs. Maybe Sylvio would be right.

* * *

Keith: alright.

Keith: heading over.

Lance:...

Lance: maybe it would be better if you didnt?

Keith: why

Keith: i'm driving

Lance: because my family is here.

Lance: I mean, my mom and dad and my brother and his family are here.

Lance: and dont text and drive, thats dangerous.

Keith: I'm stopped at mcdonalds

Keith: what

Keith: won't they sleep.

Lance: Wellll

Keith: what

Keith: Lance.

Keith: Lance wtf. Where did you go. Can I come? No? What's happening?

Lance: so you know how my niece caught us last night and my nephew as well? So…. yeah. They wouldn't shut up about it and they are onto me and I just don't want to deal with that and I don't want you to feel awkward and uncomfortable.

Keith: Ok

Keith: thanks for the suggestion

Keith: i'm still coming over

Keith: and I have happy meals.

Lance: Alright

Lance: fine

Lance: come over.

Lance: and bring the happy meals.

Lance: but I'm just going to say that i warned you.

Keith: I has been warned.

Lance: Good. Okay.

Keith: see you in a few.

.

* * *

Keith~

Keith pulled up in front of Lance's house as he always did. Now that he was paying attention, he noticed that there was an extra car in the driveway than there usually was. Every part of him wanted to avoid those kids. It wasn't that he hated children, he just didn't play their games very well.

Keith grabbed the two Happy Meals (he couldn't stop at McDonald's and _not_ get Happy Meals) and climbed up the tree he always climbed and tapped on Lance's window until Lance walked over to it.

"Lance, let me in," Keith complained though he knew Lance couldn't hear him very well through the window.

Lance opened the window with a flourish saying "As youuu wiiiishhh!"

Keith couldn't help but blush as he got off of the ground from where he had fallen from the window. "Shut up… Buttercup," Keith muttered, unable to think of a better insulting name. He refused to look at Lance, turning his head away so that Lance wouldn't see him blushing.

"So," Lance said, picking up one of the McDonald's Happy Meals and sitting on his bed with it. "What's the plan for the night? Bad movies? TV show bingeing?"

Keith shrugged, laying on Lance's floor with a Happy Meal resting on his chest, absently eating fries. "Maybe let's watch movies."

He finally glanced at Lance to see if he really approved of the idea. Lance nodded, pulling out his computer and sliding onto the floor next to Keith. He opened up Amazon Prime and searched up Rifttrax to scroll through the vast collection of hilariously bad movies being made fun of.

As they were scrolling, Keith saw one of his favorites. Pointing frantically at the screen, Keith grabbed Lance's arm until he had finally swallowed his food enough to be able to speak. "There! Santa Claus and the Ice Cream Bunny!"

"Santa Claus and the what now?" Lance asked incredulously.

"Ice Cream Bunny!" Keith cried with excitement. "Basically, Santa is doing this test drive in his sleigh in the middle of summer but gets stranded in Florida where it is so hot that the reindeer leave him. And then Santa summons all of these random children to his side where they have to try to come up with ways to move his sleigh. And so then Santa gives up and begins telling the children the story of a girl who goes to an amusement fair and then sees this play and then you follow the play—"

"So you are watching a movie… about a guy telling a story… about a girl in an amusement park… who then goes to see a play?"

"Yes. Exactly," Keith nodded. "And for some reason Tom Sawyer and Davy Crocket are there. And then the Ice Cream bunny appears and it looks like the Easter Bunny suit from hell." Keith couldn't hold back his laughter. The whole thing was just too funny.

Even Lance was chuckling with Keith.

"Alright. Let's watch that," Lance agreed.

They pressed play on the movie and spent the next hour or so laughing until tears were streaming down their faces. At first they had tried to keep quiet but when the Rifttrax people told them to close their eyes because the scene took on a whole different perspective, they both lost it.

Afterwards, (and after they spent a good 20 minutes quoting it and laughing and reenacting the different scenes,) they continued going through the Rifftrax playlist. They played Birdemic next. It wasn't quite as funny but it was still funny.

They spent a couple of hours just watching mindless movies. Lance made popcorn after they had finished their Happy Meals and when they were hungry again.

They spent the night watching funny, shitty movies until their faces hurt from laughing and they were delirious with exhaustion. Keith suggested that they watch the episode _The Eyes_ in the second season of Adventure Time. Keith joked about how Lance sounded kind of similar to Finn while they laughed at Finn and Jake's delirious sleep deprivation.

Eventually, they just let episodes of Adventure time run in the background. Lance was laying on the floor with his hands folded on his stomach Keith was similarly on his back but his legs were propped up more and the Happy Meal box was perched on his knees.

"How's life?" Lance asked inbetween episodes. He was fiddling with the Happy Meal toys they had received, little Mario figures. One of Peach and one of Mario. The Mario one could 'throw fireballs' if you lined up a disk of fire properly, and Peach had a parasol in her hand.

"Eh," Keith sighed. "I'm surviving."

"Are you enjoying D&D?" Lance asked.

"Yeah!" Keith said honestly. He really did like D&D. "I really like playing with everyone in the group."

"Yeah," Lance agreed. "I love our friend group. Everyone just works so well together."

"I'm glad that Shiro forced me to join," Keith admitted.

"Speaking of Shiro," Lance said, changing the subject, "I'm so glad that he and Matt are finally together."

"Most definitely," Keith agreed. He had hated Shiro's not-so-subtle crush on Matt. Not because he didn't think that they were a good couple or anything, but because he got tired of them both denying it for no reason. "I'm glad we finally got them together. It was well past time."

"I'm glad that they can stop that subtle awkward flirting."

"That was just painful to watch."

"And now they can be sickeningly adorable all of the time," Lance sighed.

"Did you know that Matt liked Shiro?" Keith asked, genuinely curious.

"Pidge told me after I asked them about something that Matt had said to Shiro that was super obvious," Lance told Keith. "How about you? When did you learn that Shiro liked Matt?"

"Hmm," Keith hummed pensively, "I'm not sure. I think it was after he would mention whenever Matt was around and he would talk about getting to study with Matt and stuff like that. And then when we started playing D&D I noticed really quickly because almost all of their interactions were subtle flirting conversations."

"And do you remember when they got drunk?" Lance asked, already laughing at the memories.

"Oh my god, yes," Keith laughed. "You didn't even get the best part."

"Best part?" Lance asked, sitting up, a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Okay, I'll tell you if you _swear_ not to tell anyone that I told you."

Lance nodded vigorously, just as excited as Pidge would be at the idea of learning some secret information.

"So when I got back to my apartment, I went to go check up on Shiro and when I went into his room, he was holding Matt's arm while Matt crouched by the bed, imprisoned."

"Drunk Shiro tried to do what?"

"Cuddle Matt like a teddy bear."

Lance started laughing instantly. "Keith, I've said this before, and I'm going to say it again: drunk Shiro is the best Shiro."

"True," Keith sighed, laughing softly himself.

"You have a nice laugh," Lance said into the following silence.

Keith stopped everything. He stopped breathing, moving, existing.

And from Lance's silence he thought that Lance had frozen too.

His… Lance thought that his laugh was nice?

Keith felt his face heat up in a blush. He turned his head away from Lance, refusing to let him see his face.

 _What does that mean?_ Keith wondered. Did that mean….

 _No_ , Keith chastised himself. _Lance probably just meant it as something friendly_.

There was no way that Lance would like Keith. He knew that. That's why it was pointless for him to even think about Lance as anything more than a friend. Pointless.

Still… Keith found himself asking, "What did you say?"

He heard Lance swallow thickly. "I… I said that… you… have a… mice bath."

"What?" Keith asked again. Now he felt even more confused. "A mice bath?"

"Yes," Lance said slowly. "Have you ever given mice baths?"

"No?" Keith inquired. "Have you?"

"Yeah, actually!" Lance said more excitedly. "I sometimes wash Allura's pet mice. They are super sweet and playful. It's fun."

"Okay," Keith said. "I'm glad that you can have fun with that?"

"Yeah…" Lance breathed awkwardly.

There was a pause in their conversation. Keith wanted to bring up something to talk about but his mind had gone blank.

"Um… so… anyone else in the group have an obvious crush?" Lance asked, probably searching for a conversation, same as Keith had been.

 _Besides my own crush?_ Keith thought to himself. "No, I don't really think so."

"Yeah…" Lance agreed.

"So... do you have a crush on anyone?" Keith asked in a moment of utter stupidity. It wasn't like he was able to answer that question.

"No," Lance said very quickly. "I mean…. Maybe? Wait. No…."

Keith laughed in spite of Lance's answer because of the awkward frantic way that Lance had phrased his answer.

"So… do you or do you not?" Keith asked plainly.

"I… I'm not sure." Lance pause for a while. Keith didn't want to push him hoping that Lance wouldn't ask Keith if he had a crush on anyone. "How… how about you?"

And there it was.

Keith wanted nothing more than to say no really quickly, shut Lance down and not have to bother with it anymore.

"I… same. I'm not really sure," Keith muttered quietly.

Silence once again fell over the room. Keith started counting his breaths to pass the time. There was no way that he would ever start talking to Lance about liking Lance.

"Okay," Lance said softly. "Maybe we should watch a show? Or a movie?"

Keith nodded, taking the opportunity given to him, "Yes! Let's definitely watch something."

"What should we watch?" Lance asked.

"Um…" Keith mumbled. He racked his brain for any good movies or TV shows. He couldn't think of _anything_.

"Um… I guess my family just got this new movie…. I haven't seen it yet but I've heard that it's good?"

"Okay," Keith agreed, happy to watch anything only to distract them both from the awkward conversation.

"I'll go get the movie," Lance said, standing up nervously.

Keith nodded and Lance left the room.

As soon as he was gone, Keith sat up and looked around the room. He had been in Lance's room a lot lately but he hadn't really taken the time to study any part of it. He had posters of TV shows he liked and pictures along one wall. The pictures were pinned in a collage of memories. Keith stood up to go look at the them more closely. They almost seemed to go through a timeline, starting when Lance was a young child and going up until the present.

Keith looked at pictures of Lance as a young child, blowing out birthday candles or laughing as he ran through the grass in the springtime flowers.

He looked at pictures of Hunk and Lance as young children, playing awkwardly together, sharing toys and drawing with chalk on a sidewalk.

He saw only one picture of Lance as a pre-teen where Hunk had his arms wrapped around Lance and Pidge. Lance had a blue streak dyed in his hair and braces lining his teeth. Pidge wasn't wearing any glasses and their hair was a bit longer, tied up in a side ponytail look.

Keith couldn't help but smile as he saw Lance through the different ages.

The next few pictures were of him in High school. There was one where he was glaring at the camera as he stood in front of the High school he had gone to, There was one of him holding his younger nephew as an infant and another picture of him, about a year later, holding his niece with his nephew leaning up against his side.

There were pictures of him at the beach, a wide grin on his face as he was still building a sand castle, despite being in his teen years.

There were pictures of him and Hunk and Pidge hanging out, playing games, selfies of them making silly faces.

There was one picture where he and Pidge and Hunk were at a Pride parade. Keith grinned as he looked at the picture. Lance was decked out in bi-flag colored cloths, Hunk was wearing a pan flag shirt. Pidge had the tips of their hair dyed black and purple and nonbinary and ace flags painted on their face.

Keith's eyes darted to the three pictures of them at the pride parade. One was a selfie with them all together. One was of Lance dancing and cheering up on a stage with a large mass of people. The final one, Hunk must have taken the picture because Lance had Pidge up on his shoulders while Pidge was flipping off the camera with a sign that said "fuck the binary."

Keith moved on to the next photos. Lance playing with his niece and nephew. Lance getting his diploma. Lance in his dorm in college. Lance with the D&D group, all of them playing together and goofing off and having fun.

"Oh, you're looking at the pictures?" Lance commented as he walked in and closed the door to his room.

"Oh, um… yeah," Keith muttered, jumping away from the wall. He felt kind of ashamed for looking at the pictures. He knew he probably shouldn't feel bad, but he did. He felt like he had looked in on something private that he wasn't meant to.

"Okay," Lance said. He walked up and stood next to Keith. Keith took in a sharp breath as he realized how close Lance was standing to him.

"They're nice photos," Keith said nervously.

"Sometimes I wonder why I keep them, but then other times, I'm super glad that I do. They are just a nice reminder and memory lane type thing."

"Well, yeah," Keith commented. "This is basically your whole life told in a story of pictures. I think it's really cool."

"I guess so," Lance said lightly. "Though, I don't regret not taking many pictures in middle school and high school."

"I think those were disaster years for everyone."

"Yes," Lance agreed, turning away from the picture wall and moving towards his computer.

Keith hesitated, looking at the pictures for just a moment longer, before he joined Lance leaning against the wall on while sitting on Lance's bed.

"I didn't want to make popcorn because… that's loud. But I brought up some chocolate chips that we can eat."

"Nice," Keith said, opening the bag to begin snacking on them. "So, what movie are we watching?"

"It's this movie called _Love, Simon_. It's based on this book and is about this kid in high school who's gay."

Keith couldn't help chuckling. "Question: did you decide to watch this just because I'm here right now?"

"Um… not really? I just couldn't think of anything better and I'm not mentally awake enough to want to watch some deep and interesting movie. And I have heard that this movie is really good." Lance paused, looking away from Keith and glancing at the ground. "And… I kind of like RomComs if they're good…"

"Alright," Keith agreed, smiling at Lance's admission, "Let's put it on and try it out."

Keith and Lance watched the movie quietly, sharing a pair of earbuds split between the two of them. Keith could feel the warmth from Lance's body wherever they seemed to touch, being forced so close together.

The whole time, they made comments about the relatable parts and joked about the cringy parts.

Eventually, Keith started to get sort of sleepy. He munched on chocolate slowly, leaning against the wall behind Lance's bed.

And then Lance leaned over and his head fell onto Keith's shoulder.

"Lance?" Keith questioned.

"Mmh?" Lance mumbled sleepily.

"Do you want to go to sleep?" Keith asked softly, pausing the movie for a moment.

"You're warm," Lance murmured into Keith's shoulder, wrapping an arm around Keith to pull him closer.

Keith could feel his face heating up in a blush as Lance squeezed him.

"Um… O-okay," Keith stuttered.

He pressed play on the movie and sat back, his eyes wide and Lance leaning on his shoulder, probably drooling. Somehow Keith didn't care. He knew that he could easily wake Lance up, but he didn't want to.

Keith continued watching the movie. It was a pretty good movie with a lot of truths to it.

But as he kept watching, he felt his eyes getting heavy.

He glanced down at Lance. He looked so peaceful in his sleep. He had long eyelashes that fluttered with whatever dream he was having. Keith noticed that Lance had some chocolate on the side of his face still. Keith was tempted to wipe it off, but it was just so adorable.

Lance even had soft freckles across his nose.

Hadn't Shiro ranted to him about the freckles on Matt's face at one point? Keith hadn't really understood at the time but now he couldn't look away from Lance's freckles. And the soft lines of his face. And the way that he was breathing so softly.

Keith felt his head nodding. He tried to force his head over to the movie to watch the ending but he didn't have the will to move that much.

And his eyes were getting so heavy as he looked at Lance.

And then he stopped fighting it.

His head drifted downwards and rested on Lance's. He closed his eyes, nestling his head down into Lance's hair. It was so smooth and soft and…

Keith couldn't help but smile. Lance was so adorable. So amazing.

He was funny and kind and Keith couldn't help but fall for him.

He was falling for him.

He was falling for fucking Lance McClain.

But at the moment, he really didn't care.

He let his mind drift off and his body relax as he drifted into blissful sleep.

* * *

Lance~

"Lance… _Lance_. LANCE."

Lance twitched. He felt something warm under his arms. He snuggled into the warmth.

"Laaaaance," the voice before him whined.

Lance reluctantly opened his eyes, blinking at the sharp light that penetrated his vision.

"Hi!" his nephew, Sylvio, was staring him in the face.

Lance sighed and snuggled into his pillow, closing his eyes again. "What do you want, Syl?"

"Shouldn't you get up? It's already nine." Sylvio told him.

"Syl, people can sleep past eight you know."

"Yeah…" Sylvio said slowly, "But…"

"Look," Lance mumbled, forcing his eyes closed still, "I'm tired. I want to just curl into my pillow and sleep for five more minutes…."

"Okay… but Grandma wants you downstairs soon. Also, Uncle Lance?"

"Mm?" Lance mumbled.

Sylvio was farther away, closer to the door of his room. "That's not a pillow."

Suddenly he heard Nadia's voice, "Hope everything went okay last night!"

Lance heard the door click shut.

And he blinked his eyes open.

He was _painfully_ aware of what felt like hair under his hand and the soft rise and fall of the 'pillow's' chest.

Lance sat up slowly, suddenly wide awake. He looked down and saw Keith there beneath his head.

Keith.

And it was morning.

And his niece and nephew had just been in the room.

And he and Keith had slept together. Not _together_ together. But they had slept next to each other, their heads on each other.

Lance sat up frantically. What was he going to do? He had fallen asleep with Keith at his house? The whole night came rushing back to him. He remembered how warm and comforted he had felt, leaning against Keith.

But now! Now what was he going to do?

He couldn't even look and appreciate how awesome Keith's bed-mullet-hair was. Or the chocolate that was still smeared on his face.

In a panic, he leaned down and rubbed Keith's shoulder. "Keith? Keith? Hey, buddy?"

Keith opened one eye briefly and then proceeded to swat at Lance's arm. Moaning in protest.

"Keith, buddy, pal? I know that you just want to sleep. Um, I do too. But this is important."

Keith opened his eyes, much to Lance's relief.

Keith sat up, rubbed his eyes, yawned and stretched like a cat. And then his eyes focused on Lance.

"Lance?!" He cried, instantly perking up, his eyes wide and his actions fluttery. "What are you doing here?"

"Here? Here?! This is my house! You accidentally stayed over and my niece and nephew just saw you and my mom wants to make me breakfast and they are going to think that we— nevermind! And last night we fell asleep. Asleep! Keith we let ourselves fall asleep while watching a movie about two gay— nevermind! We have to get you out of here!"

Keith blinked rapidly, looking around him.

"Um, yes! Yes. Um. The window!" Keith scrambled to get to the window. He threw it open, Lance barely a step behind him when Keith turned around abruptly and looked at the floor. "The Happy Meals!"

"It's fine," Lance protested, practically shoving Keith out of the window.

Keith was halfway through climbing out when he heard a knock at his door.

His mom was there.

 _No._

"Umm… just a sec!" Lance called out to her.

"Lance? I just want to hand this to you really quick… I have to go downstairs before the pancakes burn so I'm going to open the door now….."

Lance couldn't say his protested 'nooo' in time.

His mom opened the door while Lance was next to Keith and the window.

"Lance? I was just—"

Lance heard whatever she was holding clatter to the ground.

He turned around, Keith halfway out the window, his ass was still in Lance's room while he scrambled to push through the window.

"Hi, Mom," Lance said cooly, leaning his elbow on Keith's back like a table and trying to act nonchalant.

"L-Lance?!" His mom stuttered in surprise.

"What is it, mom?" Lance smiled at her.

"Who? What? Why?"

"Who's this?" Lance turned back to Keith, deciding to play it like he knew what was happening. "Oh, this is Keith. He was just leaving."

"And...so… why?" his mom stuttered again.

Lance winced and put on a smile, "I didn't want to bother you last night, but I had Keith over to do some studying and homework and stuff and we were just up so late that I guess we both just fell asleep."

"Okay…" his mom said slowly. "Why is he leaving out the window?"

"Because… I didn't want to disturb… everyone…"

"Um… Lance, we're all awake?"

"Well. Yes. But I didn't want to make it into a whole ordeal and…" Lance leaned a bit closer to his mom and whispered loudly, "Keith can be kind of awkward so he didn't want to have to meet everyone."

His mom nodded and then pointed towards Keith who was still hanging out the window, thumping dully with one hand on the glass.

"Shouldn't you… help him? Inside."

"Oh, yeah," Lance agreed tensely. He swallowed and took a step towards Keith, wrapping his arms around Keith's waist and pulling him back into Lance's room.

"About damn time," Keith grumbled. "I would _not_ advise hanging out of the window for forever."

"Say hi to my mom, Keith," Lance said through gritted teeth.

"Hi, Lance's mom," Keith muttered quietly, not looking at her and only scowling at Lance instead.

Lance stared at Keith for just a moment too long. He had a smear of chocolate just by the edge of his lip that Lance wanted so desperately to wipe off.

"Um? Hi?" his mom said with uncertainty. "So, Lance? Could you explain what is happening?"

Lance sighed in exasperation. "Like I said, Keith came over to study and we fell asleep. That's it."

"And what about that other 'stuff' that you mentioned?"

Lance blanched, not knowing what to say. Keith just blinked at him, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to think of something.

"Mom," Lance cried incredulously, "whatever you think… uh… happened, didn't."

"What about the McDonald's and the chocolate?"

"We were hungry," Lance argued.

His mom pursed her lips. "Alright. So, Keith, right, honey?"

"Yeah," Keith murmured.

"So how about you two boys come down for breakfast—"

"Mom, Keith should rea—"

"I'm going to tell Nadia and Sylvio so you had better not leave early or you will never hear the end of it," she said, looking at both Keith and Lance.

Thankfully, she turned to leave but stopped to say, "Oh, and Keith? I like that motorcycle of yours outfront. I hope that it doesn't go anywhere for at least a little while."

Keith blinked at her and nodded numbly.

"Good. See you down in five!"

And with that she finally left, leaving the door open behind her.

Lance and Keith stood next to each other in complete silence for several heartbeats. Lance could feel his face heating up the more he thought about how he and Keith had stayed the night together.

"Keith… I'm sorry," Lance murmured after a moment. "I wanted to have a fun time last night and I guess I didn't realize how tired I had gotten."

Keith smiled thinly, "I could have woken you up, as well."

"Then why didn't you?"

"Because you looked so peaceful and serene and I didn't want to move you…"

Lance smiled back at Keith. "I guess… I don't actually know how to respond to that," he laughed nervously, trying to relieve some of the tension.

Keith smirked as well, "Yeah." He paused, closing the window inside of Lance's room. "So I suppose I'm going down to meet your family?"

"Only my mom, niece, and nephew. My dad took my oldest sibling, Luis, out on a trip so my mom has his kids for a couple days and I thought it would be fun to hang out here instead of at the dorms…"

"Okay," Keith nodded, running his hands through his hair in an attempt to fix it. "Could you tell me the names of people so I don't sound like a complete idiot?"

Lance laughed, attempting to fix his own hair as well. "Yes. So my nephew, the one who I borrowed the tiara from, his name is Sylvio. My niece is a bit older and she's named Nadia. And my mom is—"

"I'll call your mom Mrs. McClain," Keith interrupted.

"Sounds good," Lance agreed. "Should we head downstairs?"

"Yeah. I guess so?" Keith sighed uncertainty.

"Hey," Lance said comfortingly as he stepped out of his room. "It won't be that bad. Though… I do have to warn you, Nadia might… tease us a bit."

"Why?" Keith asked as they started heading down the stairs.

"Um…" Lance didn't exactly want to tell him that his niece thought that they were a couple or at least that Lance liked Keith (which was completely absurd). So, instead he settled for saying that "Well… Nadia has just heard about all of our D&D friends."

"Okay," Keith said again.

As they walked downstairs, Lance watched Keith as he looked around, studying all parts of Lance's house. Lance tried to usher him towards the dining room, hoping that his mom didn't decide to give a grand tour or anything.

Right before they arrived, Lance noticed that Keith still had some chocolate on his face. He grabbed Keith by the shoulder and pulled him back.

"Dude, you have some chocolate on your face," Lance told him while pointing to the area on himself.

Keith's eyes widened and he started trying to wipe it off, only to fail and just smear it across more of his face.

"H-here," Lance muttered grabbing one of the towels that was lying on a nearby table (His mom was awful at putting away towels and left them all over the house) and began to wipe Keith's face of chocolate.

Only after about ten seconds did he realize both how close he was, and how he was holding Keith's chin with his other hand, tilting Keith's head up towards him.

Lance froze and then jumped away, stunned.

He glanced at Keith who had his head tilted downwards as though to hide in his hair.

Lance knew he was blushing. He just knew he was blushing.

"Hey, there you guys are!" His mom called sweetly, walking up behind Lance and putting an arm around his shoulder. "I was just coming up to bother you again."

Lance wanted nothing more than to glare daggers at him mom, but his face had only heated up with the embarrassment of her being there.

"Yep," Lance said, his voice cracking horribly. He cringed and continued speaking disastrously. "We are down here and ready for some food. Right, Keith?"

Keith nodded shyly, not looking up to meet either of their eyes.

"Alright," Lance squeaked out, "Then let's go eat some food, friend!" he grabbed Keith's arm and dragged him to the dining room, trying to ignore the way his face felt like it was on fire.

He couldn't even see Keith's face through his stupid mullet. Why did Lance even react like this to Keith? There was no reason for it. None.

They walked into the dining room where Sylvio and Nadia were tying napkins to each other's ears and neck. They froze and turned towards Lance and Keith. Immediately there was an eruption of sound, way more than should come out of two children their size.

Nadia started cheering and jumped up and around them, peppering Lance with a ton of questions. "Is this Keith? Is this him? He's shorter than I thought. So, does he know? Does he like you? What was he doing here last night? How many days has he been staying the night?"

Lance opened and closed his mouth in response. He was rather glad that Sylvio had grabbed Keith by his other arm, pulling him away from Lance, and started guiding him around the dining room, pointing out the chairs and decorations.

"Wow," Keith said genuinely. "That's so amazing! Did you make this?" He pointed to an old 'happy birthday Uncle Lance' picture that was hung up on the wall.

"Yep!" Sylvio said proudly. "Nadia added the glitter to it. I think the glitter makes it look even better."

"Glitter makes everything better," Keith agreed.

"Should we take a seat?" Lance asked overwhelmed and nervous.

"Uncle Lance," Nadia whined quietly. "You didn't answer any of my questions!"

"Oh, uh," he replayed the questions in his mind and then began answering. "Yes, yes, I guess so, not answering, not answering, homework, just tonight."

Nadia nodded with satisfaction and took a seat next to Sylvio.

"You're sitting next to me," Sylvio told Keith, pulling back the chair next to his seat out.

Keith smiled good-naturedly and took a seat. Lance sat next to Keith

"So," Keith said, turning towards Sylvio, "I believe that I need to give you a 'thank you' for letting me borrow your Tiara."

Sylvio grinned at Keith, beaming wide. "Yes! I'm glad that you wore it! I'm glad that Lance got to play rescue the princess with you! I bet you made a very pretty princess."

Keith opened his mouth and closed it again.

Lance bit his lip, trying to suppress a laugh. He leaned close to Keith and whispered in his ear, "I told Sylvio I wanted to give it to you to play his favorite game 'rescue the princess.' I _technically_ wasn't completely wrong, though."

Lance pulled away from Keith and watched as he glared at Lance for a moment, his face practically screaming ' _Why are you making me do this?'_

But he turned to Sylvio with a bright look on his face and smiled. "Yes. We had a lot of fun that week. I bet that you make a _wonderful_ princess," Keith told Sylvio.

Sylvio beamed even brighter, his eyes squinting shut as he spread his mouth in a super wide grin. "Thank you, Keith!"

"I now present," Lance's mom said as she walked into the room with a large plate in her hands, "La Pancakes!"

She set the plate onto the table with a flourish of her hand. A steaming plate of plain and chocolate pancakes lay before everyone.

"Thanks Mom!" Lance cried as he grabbed a small stack for himself. He started to eat the pancakes by grabbing one and shoving it into his mouth. They tasted amazing as always.

He glanced over in between bites of pancakes to see Sylvio drowning his pancakes in syrup, Nadia trying to grab it from Syl's hands, and Keith watching nervously as he took smaller bites with a fork. Like a civilized person.

Lance glanced down at the pancake he was holding and shoving into his mouth. He knew that he should probably eat in a more civilized fashion, but he didn't really care.

"Thank you, Mrs. McClain," Keith said with a soft smile to Lance's mom. "These pancakes are wonderful."

"Aw," she gushed as she took a seat at the table herself, "Thank you, Keith." She turned to Lance as he was stuffing another pancake into his mouth. "Lance, you have a guest over. Be more polite."

Lance glared at her and swallowed his large bite of pancake. Before he could retort with anything, Keith piped up in the conversation.

"I mean… y'all are eating like heathens…"

"Dude," Lance snorted, "You just said 'Y'all' you Texan ass."

" _Lance_ ," his mother said sharply and Lance winced. "We do _not_ swear! _Especially,_ around _children!_ "

"It's okay," Nadia said quietly, "We know not to repeat the bad words that we hear."

"Especially the 'fuck' word," Sylvio said and then turn bright red, cupping his hand over his mouth. Nadia burst out laughing while Lance buried his head on the table in embarrassment.

"Well…" Keith whispered, "He was going to learn at some point."

"Please," Sylvio muttered in the quietest voice, "Don't make me wash my mouth out with soap! Please!"

Lance turned his head to look at his mom to find her face bright red as she bit her lip to try to keep from laughing. "No, no, I'll let it slide this time."

Sylvio sighed, "Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!"

"What about Lance?" Keith asked through soft chuckles. "He was the one who swore first."

"KEITH!" Lance yelped.

"I'm not washing anyone's mouth with soap right now," his mom sighed. "Let's just eat breakfast. I declare that the rest of this meal will be a swear-free zone and that everyone will try to eat _properly_ and with good manners."

"Lance is being polite."

Keith looked at Lance innocently, blinking at him.

Nadia snorted, catching Keith's sarcasm and joking attitude. "I'm sure these are some of the best manners you have seen in quite a while."

"Definitely. Top notch," Keith nodded gravely, never taking his eyes off of Lance.

Lance glared at him and subtlety mouthed " _Fuck you, Keith."_

"Lance," his mother sighed, "I know you were mouthing some swear word. What did we just talk about?!"

Lance opened his mouth in complete and utter disbelief. _How had she... ?_

Lance sighed, not wanting to question his mother's capacity for inferring knowledge and just _knowing_ things.

"So, Keith," his mom said, changing the subject, "You go to the same college as Lance right?"

"Right," Keith nodded.

"So, do you guys have the same classes?"

"Yeah…" Keith said slowly. "We're in the same chemistry class…"

"And we have the same history and the same Astronomy classes too," Lance made up to make it seem more believable that Keith was over studying.

Keith looked at him, perplexed and Lance nodded, his eyes wide. Keith mouthed an " _oh_ ," and spoke up, "Yep. Coran's our history teacher. An our D&D sponsor. We were just playing a part of the campaign where Coran got back at us for falling asleep in class by making us go through what seemed like an endless maze."

"Oh, riiiight!" Lance added. "Pidge was so mad. But Shiro and Matt were the worst. You remember how they got those tables and flipped them over?"

"Yes," Keith laughed.

"So," Sylvio interrupted, "Is this how most friends are?"

"Do… do you not have many friends, Sylvio?" Keith asked kindly.

Sylvio shook his head. "No… not really. I have a couple of people I talk to but… not many people. I do have this one friend though!" he said excitedly, his face lighting up.

"Really?" Lance said enthusiastically, joining in the conversation.

"Yeah!" Sylvio grinned. "We used to play all of these games together and joke together and we spent all of our time together."

"That's nice," Lance's mom said, standing up and clearing everyone's empty plates from the table.

"OOH!" Sylvio said, jumping up from his seat, "Keith, Keith!"

"What, what?" Keith smiled… he had such a nice smile.

"Can I show you a picture that I drew?"

"Sure!" Keith enthused.

Lance decided to trail behind Syl and Keith while Nadia got up and bounded over to Lance's mother to help her clear the table. Nadia always did love setting and putting things away. It made her very useful at Thanksgiving.

"I drew this picture for my favorite person in the world! Besides maybe my family... He's just so nice and sweet and we would play together every day at recess and we would tell jokes in class and help each other with homework… just like you two!" Sylvio said. "Or… at least we did until he went away..."

Suddenly, he stopped in the hallway.

"Uncle Lance?"

"Yeah?" Lance said, concern growing in his voice.

"Is it bad that I really miss him? Like more than most people? Like I want him to be by my side and close to me and…" Sylvio swallowed thickly.

"Of course that isn't wrong," Lance told him, kneeling down on the ground. "Did someone tell you it was?"

"No…" Sylvio said softly. "It's just… we don't act like normal friends and some people have been calling us… calling us a couple. It's not that I'm mad about that! Because… because I kinda like him. No, I _really_ like him. But it's just… everyone made such a big deal when you… what was it… when you came out? I didn't know if it was okay or normal or stuff…."

Lance could feel pinpricks of tears in his eyes. He wrapped his arms tightly around Sylvio, holding him close and burying his head in the crook of Syl's neck. "Of course it is _definitely_ okay. If you like someone, then you should spend time with them. It doesn't matter if you like boys or girls or neither or both or people who identify as neither or both. If you like someone then… that's for you to know. And it _definitely_ doesn't have to be a big deal unless you want it to be. And you can take your time figuring stuff out. Just know that I will _always_ be here to help you."

He released Sylvio from his embrace and held his shoulders, looking him directly in the eye, "Alright?"

Sylvio nodded, "Thank you, Uncle Lance."

"Anytime," Lance said, sniffling as he stood up. "Now let's see that picture."

Lance felt and immense swell of pride for Sylvio. For him to be able to talk to Lance about that. For him to want to work towards accepting whatever crazy feelings he may be having. That took a lot of bravery, in Lance's opinion.

And he was proud of Sylvio for that.

.

* * *

…

They walked into the room Sylvio was staying in and he directed them to a wall where he had small drawings pinned up with thumbtacks.

"This is us," Sylvio said, pointing to a roughly drawn picture of him and another boy, holding hands while they played in the grass. In the next picture, the two of them were sliding down a rainbow slide. Lance almost laughed out loud at the unintentional irony of the picture.

"You two look like fantastic… uh, friends," Keith said awkwardly, examining each picture after Lance.

"We are!" Sylvio said.

"Hey, maybe on Monday you should invite him over to play?" Lance suggested. "Or we could go to the park or something like that?"

"That would be great!" Sylvio cried, delighted, and then his face fell. "Except… he hasn't been in school for a little while."

"... oh… really?" Lance asked.

"Yeah… my teacher says that he'll be back soon and he's just a little sick but… I'm worried. And.. I miss him."

Lance opened and closed his mouth, not sure what to say.

"I have an idea," Keith said quietly. "How about you draw him a picture and on the back, write a letter telling him that you miss him and hope that he feels better, eh? I know that when my brother was injured he loved receiving letters from me."

Lance snorted, "Great idea but you just went from Texan to Canadian."

Keith whacked his arm in response.

"Yeah!" Sylvio clapped. "I have my drawing stuff over here. You two should draw too!"

"Okay!" Keith agreed enthusiastically.

Lance, once again, noticed how good Keith was being with the kids. He was able to work with them and get them to talk and like him so quickly.

But he also thought of Keith, younger, writing letters to Shiro when he was in the hospital. Lance hadn't known either of them then, but he knew that it must have been terrifying for both of them.

For the next half an hour, they all worked on their pictures with Lance trying to guess what Keith was drawing while Sylvio worked frantically on his picture.

"Is it a chicken?" Lance asked, totally perplexed by what Keith was drawing.

"No! Of course not!"

"Is it chopsticks?"

"Why the f… heck would I be drawing chopsticks?" Keith groaned. "I'm drawing a knife you idiot."

"I don't know," Lance defended. "It's not my fault that you suck at art."

"Oh, what are you some beautiful artist?"

"Well, I am beautiful…" Lance grinned.

Keith rolled his eyes and snatched for the paper in Lance's hand. He got a hold of it and Lance let it go.

After a moment, Keith lowered the paper into his lap and set his head down on the table laughing. "Why?" he asked through gulps of laughter. "Why did you draw this?"

"Because it's beautiful," Lance said.

He took back the picture and looked at his drawing of Barry from the Bee Movie with the introduction lines running behind the character. Of course it was art.

"Lance…." Keith muttered into the table.

"Okay!" Sylvio said, interrupting them, but neither of them minded.

"I finished my picture!" He said, presenting the picture to them. It was a picture of himself and the boy sitting on a hill with a sunset behind them and a couple of toys and sports balls on the ground around them. It was a super sweet picture and definitely better than either of the pictures Lance and Keith had put out.

"Did you write a letter too?" Keith asked. "Maybe you can give it to your teacher to give to this kid?"

"That's a great idea!" Sylvio enthused. "Can I have you guys check to see if my grammar is correct enough? If everything sounds good?"

"Sure, how about you read it to us?" Lance suggested.

"Okay!" Sylvio said, clearing his throat before he started reading.

"'Dear Evan,"'

* * *

...

Lance choked and almost fell out of his chair. He didn't think Sylvio noticed, thankfully.

 _Was this Coran's Evan? Was this the boy that had just died?_ Lance thought in a panic, his mind welling up with worry.

 _Was this kid, that I had just told my nephew to try to get closer to, dead?_

"We are the very best of friends," Sylvio read out, each word stabbing Lance in the heart the more he thought about it.

"I know that you left a couple of months ago, but I really really really miss you."

Lance choked back another sob. When he looked at Keith, he noticed that he looked green around the edges as well, his eyes closed as he focused on his breathing. Lance knew they were thinking the same thing.

"Our teacher tells me that you're sick so I hope that you feel better soon!"

Lance closed his eyes. _Please stop_ , he wanted to say. _Please don't make me listen to this anymore_.

 _Don't make Sylvio suffer_.

"I want to play with you when you come back. I want to go on the slides together and do the swings together."

 _God,_ Lance thought in despair. _Sylvio has no idea. His best friend— his crush is dead. And… do I tell him?_

"And when I see you again," Sylvio continued, "There's something I want to tell you when I do see you…"

 _I have to tell him_ , Lance thought in anguish. He couldn't just let poor Sylvio suffer later when he found out… and if he found out that Lance had known the whole time, too.

"If you get a chance, I would love to hear back from you. I really do miss you."

Lance couldn't breath. He felt like the world was closing in on him, suffocating him. He felt like he was trapped in his own mind, the words that Sylvio was saying were stabbing him like sharp knives.

"You are my absolute best friend, Evan," Sylvio said.

Lance choked, trying to think. Evan was dead. _Evan_ was _dead_.

"With love, Sylvio," he concluded, looking up at them with his eyes bright and shining as he looked at Lance and Keith.

"Uncle Lance?" Sylvio asked, his voice quiet and his face falling in concern.

 _No._

 _NO!_ Lance thought, wanting to wrap Sylvio up in his arms and carry him away.

The world can't be that cruel. It can't be so _real_ to a _nine_ year old. NINE! Lance wanted to scream in his own agony.

"Why are you crying?" Sylvio asked quietly.

* * *

…

Time seemed to slow for Lance. He stood up, drifting across the floor over towards Sylvio.

Keith looked like he was about to be sick as he had a hand to his mouth, staring at them intensely

 _I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry_ , Lance chanted in his mind as he knelt by Sylvio and wrapped one arm in front of him around his arm and one arm around his back and to his head. He pulled Sylvio onto his lap and cradled him to his chest.

 _I'm sorry I'm Sorry I'M SORRY!_

Lance opened his mouth, not sure what he was going to say, but knowing that he had to tell him.

 _How could he_? How could he tell him that Evan was dead?

"Sylvio… I… can I tell you a story?"

"Okay…" Sylvio whispered.

"It's the story of a very, very brave young boy," Lance told him, closing his eyes and imagining it himself. "This boy was like every normal boy, but he wanted to travel through the planets, meeting all new people. On his travels, he met one very nice alien who decided to become his friend. He decided to stay on that planet for a little while so that he wouldn't have to leave his friend.

"But then his parents came and told him it was time to leave to go home. The little boy cried and cried and tried to say goodbye to the alien boy, but he had to leave before he could.

"On the way back to their home planet," Lance continued, "The boy got very ill. He couldn't move. He couldn't talk much. He was tired and weary. His parents had wanted him to be able to stay on that planet having fun, but they were hoping that there was a way that the medicine of their home world could save him."

Lance paused, already tired of the story… he knew he needed to tell it, but he didn't want to . He didn't want to.

"Did they save the boy?" Sylvio asked quietly, his voice smaller than ever and quavering in the quiet.

Lance hesitated, holding Sylvio tight to him. "They… they tried everything… but everyone knew it was hopeless. So, on his final night, the boy looked out of the window and squinted until he found the planet with the alien boy. Weakly, he waved and muttered a soft goodbye to his alien friend."

"And then?" Sylvio whispered.

"The next morning, the boy's parents walked in to find his body still and his eyes closed. He was gone."

Sylvio tore himself out of Lance arms standing up.

"Is it true?!" he demanded, looking at Keith instead of at Lance, horror and fear and anguish etched in every line of his small face. "Tell me it's not true! TELL ME!"

But Keith only nodded and looked away from Sylvio.

"NO!" Sylvio shouted, gasping as his face twisted up in a sob. "No!"

Lance's vision blurred as tears started to stream from his eyes.

He walked over towards Sylvio to wrap him in his arms but Sylvio whacked his arms away, throwing his whole body into shoving Lance away from him. "It's not true! IT'S NOT! EVAN IS ALIVE!"

He ran past Lance, his forehead twisted in anguish as he choked out every breath.

Lance stood up to follow him, needing to comfort him.

"Wait," Keith muttered, "Give him a minute. He needs it."

Lance collapsed down onto his knees. "Why?! WHY did this have to happen!? WHY Keith, why?"

Keith merely shrugged, shaking his head at the ground. "Because some people have the misfortune of knowing all of Life's cruelties from a very young age."

But Lance had stopped listening. He stood up and shoved himself out of the room, running towards the old treehouse outside of his room where he was sure that Sylvio was hiding.

"Syl? Syl!?" he called out as he looked through the open window, the curtains fluttering with the wind.

Sylvio didn't reply but Lance was sure that was where he was hiding. He didn't know where else he could be.

So, without a second thought to the missing bridge that used to connect his window to the treehouse, Lance climbed out and scaled the branches until he reached the small fort. He opened the door and crouched to get inside. He didn't remember being too tall to enter… it really had been years where he hadn't been inside of the fort.

But that thought only dashed across his mind before his eyes landed on Sylvio and he collapsed to the ground in front of him.

"Leave me alone!" Sylvio cried, his back turned to Lance and his head turned to the side to shout. Lance could see the tears flowing in steady streams down his cheeks.

"Syl…" Lance whispered softly, his voice cracking even on the single syllable.

"I said LEAVE ME ALONE!" Sylvio sobbed, clutching his hands to his ears to cover his head, his dark brown hair ruffling around his fingertips.

But Lance couldn't leave. He just couldn't leave Sylvio like this.

So, he sat. Lance sat on the ground and stared at a cracked part of the wooden floor, his eyes squinting closed and his mouth opening slightly in a perpetual sigh.

He waited, listening to the sound of Sylvio's sobs and choked gasps, not knowing what to do.

He had just told his nine-year-old nephew that his one and only friend was dead.

He had just crushed his heart and presented the cruel world to him on a crimson platter.

As he sat, still as a statue, Lance felt the tears slowly come to a stop and dry on his face. He didn't dare move to wipe them away.

He didn't even think he would be able to wipe them away.

He had lost all control of his body. Anymore, he was just a frozen stature, lost in time and at the mercy of death.

And then Lance was pulled out of his mind by Syl's soft little voice, so quiet that Lance would have sworn he had missed it if Sylvio hadn't repeated the question. "How?"

"How…" Lance trailed off, his mind working too slow for him to figure out what was being asked of him. Lance closed his eyes and tried to think, tried to wipe away the everclouding, opaque, fog.

"How did he die, Lance?!" Sylvio shouted in anguish. "How did Evan die?!"

Lance flinched at Sylvio's words. "I...I don't know all of the details. He had some form of cancer and the doctors were trying to treat it. My friend Coran was actually helping and was there when he…"

"Died?!" Sylvio supplied, hugging his arms around himself.

"I know that he fought a very very difficult battle," Lance tried.

"And lost!"

Lance sighed, trying to level his voice as he thought through his next words. "Sometimes… sometimes the time to let go is the time that you really win. Sometimes, you have to lose to ever find yourself winning."

"But that isn't how life works!" Sylvio sobbed. "Once… once you lose… you… you lose! And everyone around you looses!"

"But which is better," Lance protested, "Having him be alive in eternal suffering or letting him rest peacefully and finally getting a good night of sleep?"

" _Death isn't sleep!"_ Sylvio sobbed.

"Not having to fight is rest, though," Lance whispered.

There was a pause. Sylvio moved over towards the wall, resting his head against it. "I just wish… I just wish I could have been there."

"I wish I had known," Sylvio murmured into the wall. "I wish I could have taken some of his burden. I wish I could have seen his face. I wish I could have told him how much he means to me. I wish I could have been there for his last few moments."

Lance scooted closer to him, still leaving a foot of space but leaning up against the wall beside him. "Greif is all about regret. It is all you can dwell on. It is all you think about."

Sylvio leaned slightly closer to Lance.

They stayed quiet in the treehouse, neither of them crying now, only feeling empty as the wind rustled the leaves that surrounded them.

After a few more minutes, Lance heard creaking and snapping and rustling in the branches outside. After just a moment, Keith showed up, cautious and awkward in the doorframe with his long hair tangled in clumps with leaves and twigs stuck in it.

"Hey…" he murmured softly. "I came to… uh… see how you two were doing?"

Lance shook his head slightly while Sylvio bent his head down and rested it in his knees.

"Can… can I come in?" Keith asked softly.

Lance gestured in front of him after Sylvio nodded beside him. Keith smiled gratefully and walked in, taking a seat on the floor of the fort.

Everything was silent. Lance didn't know why Keith was there… but it didn't feel like he was impeding on anything. It felt like he was supposed to be there.

"Can I tell you a story, Sylvio?" Keith whispered.

Without looking up, Sylvio nodded into his knees. Lance turned to stare at Keith as he closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall, his knees pulled up to his chest and his arms folded across them.

"A long while ago, there was a boy living with his father. This boy… he never knew his mother. She had… she had died when he was just a baby, leaving only him and his father.

"Despite the father's grief over his lost wife, he tried as best as he could to support the boy and let him grow and play and be happy.

"Together, they lived happily for a number of years, the boy growing older and older and forgetting the tales about his mom.

"But the thing was, the boy's father was a firefighter. He dedicated his entire life to saving people from burning buildings and homes. He'd spend every hour of his job, running through ash and smoke and then he would come home and listen to the tales that his son would tell him about what the world outside was like through his eyes.

"Every day, the boy would wait on the porch, dangling his legs on the stairs while the sun set and the stars came out overhead. And then, once twilight was just beginning to pass, the boy would see the bright lights of his dad's truck."

Keith paused, swallowing thickly and moving his head to rest in his arms.

"But one day the lights never came.

"The boy waited outside all night. He dozed on the porch. He cradled the phone by his side. He tried calling his father as often as he dared. He told himself that he was just out of service or that he got a nasty scrape on his arm and was being taken into the hospital.

"It wasn't until the next evening that the boy saw lights coming towards the house. But they weren't the lights of his father's truck. Before the boy stood two towering white vans with men and women in suits and uniforms stepping out of them.

"A nice woman walked up to him and told the boy that they were going to take him somewhere. Somewhere new.

"The next day, he was told the truth of what happened. He had already figured it out, but he was _told_ the truth that day, when he was eleven."

Keith stopped talking. He buried his head in his arms, his long hair covering his face.

"What… what happened?" Sylvio sniffed.

"That little boy, at age eleven, was told the story of how his father had died a brave and brilliant hero. Everyone respected him. Everyone commended him.

"But they never talked about the little orphaned boy that was left behind. The boy who was placed in foster care. The boy who wandered to the graveyard, late at night, with only a flashlight until he found the grave that bore his father's name.

"And that boy had no one to share his grief with. He had no one to talk to. He closed himself in. Became the loner at school."

Keith swallowed again. He glanced up at Lance and Lance swore that he saw glistening streaks around Keith's eyes.

"But that isn't the end of the story," Keith told Sylvio. "A couple of months later, when the boy was twelve, a special person came to his school and saw something in him. And this person adopted the boy and became his older brother in name more than blood. They grew up together. They became friends… and family.

"And the boy was no longer forced to be alone. The pain of his father's death started to fade. He started to trust and love again. He started to be able to live life like how he should have been living it the entire time."

Keith stopped talking. He shifted so he could wipe his eyes with the slieve of his jacket.

"Sylvio," Keith whispered after a minute. "It took me a very, _very_ long time to heal from my father's death. But I did heal. It doesn't seem like it now. It doesn't seem like you will ever see the light of day again. But you will. One say you will be able to smile and remember Evan fondly without feeling that heart wrenching pain that you feel now."

"I still remember that pain," Keith murmured. "I remember every detail of it. And I remember looking at the five stages of grief to find where I was and where I was going. Everyone thinks that the worst part about grief is how you miss the person. They think it is about never seeing them again. But that's not quite right… because you can't rationalize that fact into your mind.

"Instead, I think the worst part about grief," Keith said softly, "Is all of the regrets. No matter what you do, you'll regret something. Not knowing, not giving your loved ones one last hug or kiss, not saying 'drive safe.' So many things that you can't help but regret."

Lance thought about Keith's words. In all honesty, Keith was more equipped mentally for this than Lance was. Lance didn't remember the last time he had lost something. He didn't remember the last time that someone had been… lost forever.

And still, Sylvio has to experience all of it first hand.

Lance turned his head to look at Sylvio. He had his head buried in his knees and his fists clenched together in his lap.

"But…" Keith whispered, looking up at the ceiling, "It does go away. Eventually, that pain will fade. It doesn't seem like it now, but it will."

"I don't want it to go away!" Sylvio shouted, tearing his head away from his knees to glare at Keith. "Evan _died_. He _died_ when he was _nine!_ He doesn't deserve to be forgotten! He doesn't deserve to have people he once knew pretending that everything is okay without him there."

Sylvio lowered his head, clutching his fists to his chest.

Lance wanted nothing more than to hug Sylvio, but he could already see what would happen. He could already see how Sylvio would shove him away forcefully and yell at him to get off. To leave him alone.

Still, Lance moved closer to him. And as he did, he noticed something in Sylvio's clenched fists, peaking out of the top of his hands.

Lance could tell it was a paper and he guessed what it was a split second before Sylvio uncurled his fists to reveal the picture he had drawn of him and Evan playing with his get-well letter on the inside.

The picture was crumpled but still salvageable if they flattened it out.

"I made this stupid letter to tell Evan how much I want him to be my friend. To tell him how much he means to me…. To ask him to get better."

Sylvio closed his eyes, his mouth twisted downwards spitefully.

"And it was all for _nothing_ ," Sylvio spat as he raised the picture before his eyes and cleanly tore it in two, right in between where the drawings of Evan and Sylvio were.

"NO!" Lance shouted, lunging for the picture. _Syl will want this. He'll want to remember his friend_.

But he was pulled backwards by an arm around his chest from behind.

Keith was holding him back. His head was next to Lance's as he whispered, "Let him. He needs to get the anger out. If he bottles it up… it will only fester."

"No…" Lance whimpered, all of the fight going out of his body as he fell limply against Keith.

Sylvio was staring, his eyes wide, at the two halves of the picture. "I… I broke… I tore it."

Lance saw the two pages fluttering lightly on the ground.

"We can fix it…" Lance told Sylvio, his voice breaking with every few words.

"I didn't even get to say goodbye…" Sylvio whimpered.

"Evan understood," Keith told Sylvio. "He understood that you said goodbye to him."

Lance felt himself freed from Keith's grasp. He leaned forward and picked up the two pages, holding them together, gently.

"Do you know what I told him last?" Sylvio asked, his voice bitter and hostile. "I told him 'Bye! See you tomorrow! Stay safe.'

"And he smiled at me and waved goodbye."

"Lance," Sylvio whispered, tilting so his eyes bore into Lance's "I told him to be safe. And then I waved goodbye. And… and then he _died."_

"Sylvio," Lance whispered. "It _isn't_ your fault."

"Lance is right, Sylvio," Keith asserted. Then he turned to Lance, "but that doesn't mean that Sylvio isn't allowed to feel hurt. He has _every_ right to feel all of the emotions that he does feel."

Lance lowered his head for a split second before nodding. He wanted to be there. He wanted to always be there for Sylvio. He wanted to help him feel better and to smile again. He wanted to take away his pain. Share his burden.

But he knew that that wasn't possible.

Instead, Lance moved forward and towards Sylvio, crawling on his hands and knees to reach him in the fort. He had never realized how small the tree house was…

Lance hesitated just before he reached out to Sylvio. Syl, too, looked so small and pained.

In one movement, Lance wrapped his arms around Sylvio and pulled him into his lap, the pieces of the picture were still in Lance's hand.

"Sylvio, I will always be here for you," Lance told him, holding his body close and resting his head on Sylvio's tangled mop of hair.

"Lance… I'm scared," Sylvio whimpered into Lance's arm.

"Of what?"

"I'm scared… I'm scared that… that one of us is… is going to die… like Evan. I… it feels like anyone could die. I feel… mortal."

Lance sucked in a breath. There was no way that he could guarantee that none of them would get Cancer. Or get into a wreck. Or be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"You're right. One of us could die at any time. But, if one of us gets cancer, then we will have at least a couple of months to say goodbye. And… accidents happen every day. That's why you have to appreciate the time you spend with the people you care about most."

Sylvio didn't respond with any words. Instead he just curled into Lance's body, closing his eyes and letting Lance hold him.

Lance didn't know how long they stayed like that. After a couple of minutes, Lance stroked Sylvio's shoulder and started humming an old song his mom had sung to him. And Sylvio hummed with him for a few minutes until his voice died away and his breathing slowed and evened out.

Lance turned back to see where Keith was and found him peering curiously through the window in Lance's room. Lance hadn't even heard him leave the tree house.

Gently, Lance picked Sylvio, still curled in his arms, up and carried him out of the fort, balancing on branches as calmly as he could manage.

When he got close to the window, he handed Sylvio, still fast asleep, to Keith so that he could climb in the window himself.

"I told your mom," Keith whispered quietly.

"Okay…" Lance murmured, taking Sylvio back into his arms and humming another verse of the lullaby. Lance walked out of his room and towards Sylvio's, laying him down in bed.

Lance hesitated as Sylvio shifted in his sleep. The tear stains were evident on his cheeks.

But Lance stepped outside of the room, anyway.

"Keith," Lance said quietly, "I… I don't know what to say. Thank you."

"Yeah," Keith whispered.

"You really helped me out back there."

"Yeah," Keith said again. "I… I should probably get home so you and Sylvio can…"

"Yes," Lance agreed. "But… really, thank you. I appreciate your kindness so much."

Keith saluted Lance with two fingers to his forehead and then walked towards the front of the house, probably saying goodbye to Lance's mother and niece.

Lance crept back into Sylvio's room, deciding to stay by the boy's side for when he woke up.

* * *

Note: And thanks for reading that tear-jerker. I was going to have another part where Lance and Keith went to talk to Coran and Coran found that Evan had written a goodbye letter to Syl and Lance takes it and delivers it and it's really sweet.

On a more amusing note, anyone appreciate the Garfel Warfel Snick reference?

I think this is one of my vest chapters but by far is one of the most depressing. I am happy to have gotten farther with Keith and Lance's relationship though.

Well, That's the end. That is (most) all of what I have written and anything left was ideas and small jokes that we never got to adding.

We did have the ending (sorta) planned out. We were going to have Klance get closer together and then decide that they liked each other with the help of Pidge and the others. Allura would start dating Romelle and we would include Shay more. Keith would find out that Krolia was his mom and have a bit of a reunion. And everything would have turned out well. Hunk was headcanoned to have two moms as well. Because we liked that idea, my friends and I.

The ending was going to have Lance decide to confess to Keith and Pidge would orchestrate it so they both decided to confess at the same would have Sylvio get in on the idea and he would set up a 'romantic' picnic at midnight in the tree fort. And Lance would stand up to confess, only to have Keith grab his hand and confess first on impulse. Surprised, Lance would fall out of the tree house and land on the ground, breaking a leg. He would wake up to see Keith there in the hospital and would remember their old conversation, though, unsure if it really happened, their confession would probably be something like this:

"Keith! You… why are you here? Wait… did… did last time really happen? Did you… Nevermind," Lance cut himself off, reaching out for Keith to take his hand. "Keith, there's something I've been wanting to tell you… I think I've fallen for you… will you be my significant other?"

"Lance… significant other?" Keith joked, "Is that the best you can come up with?"

"So.. is that a no?" Lance deflated.

Lance looked away, staring at the edge of his cast and letting go of Keith's hand. Before he knew what was happening, Keith grabbed the edge of Lance's face and tilted his head towards him before quickly leaning in a pressing his lips to Lance's softly and quickly.

"Dumbass," Keith muttered, pulling away. "Don't scare me by falling out of a window like that, Juliet."

"I only wanted to prove how much I like you, mullet," Lance smirked, pulling Keith down and kissing him again, more passionately and sweetly. He couldn't believe that this was really happening and a part of him thought that maybe he was hallucinating, until he heard the door smash open and a loud, "MY EYES."

At that moment, Pidge bursts in and everyone else and they all joke with Lance and Keith with lots of 'finally's' and 'get wells' to Lance. It's a big happy event.

And at the very end, they play one last D&D with everyone as close as couples together and having a good time together as one large group.

* * *

Thanks for sticking with me! Sorry I couldn't make the story as complete as I originally planned. Comment if you liked anything!  
Thanks for reading!


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